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The Diwan at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden, a year-round pavilion and event space, has won two international awards for its design.

The Diwan has been awarded a 2023 International Architecture Award in the category of Exposition Centres, and a gold certification in the category of Public Building / Cultural Building from Grand Prix Du Design.

PROJECT The Aga Khan Garden and The Diwan, University of Alberta Botanic Garden, Devon, Alberta

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS (Aga Khan Garden) Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects

ARCHITECTS (Diwan) AXIA Design Associates (Design Architects), Arriz + Co. (Architectural & Interior Design), and Kasian Architecture, Interior Design, and Planning (Executive Architects)

TEXT David Down

The sweeping $5.5-million structure stands out, even in a garden modelled after paradise

The view from the Diwan Pavilion seems more suited to Utopia than Alberta. In a nearby courtyard, a sloping fountain pumps water through 12 stone water features flanked by wildflowers—its ultimate destination a placid pond surrounded by lush fruit trees. The setting is the 4.8-hectare Aga Khan Garden in the University of Alberta’s Botanic Garden. The pavilion presides over its easternmost edge.

This spring weather calls for a walk in the garden. No garden? No problem! The University of Alberta Botanic Garden is now open for 2023 season.

Remarks by Princess Zahra Aga Khan at the Inauguration of the Diwan Pavilion at the Aga Khan Garden, Edmonton, Alberta
(source: Video the.Ismaili)
September 28, 2022

May I begin by thanking you Premier Kenney for your warm hospitality in hosting us here today, and for your support of the initiatives of the Imamat and the Ismaili community over so many years. We are deeply grateful.

It is a privilege to be here with you today and to express on behalf of His Highness and the Ismaili community around the world our gratitude for our permanent friendship.

As Alberta’s Ismaili Muslim community commemorates five decades of history in Canada, many gathered at a ceremony Wednesday unveiling the final piece of the Aga Khan Garden.

The Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, gifted the $25-million garden to the University of Alberta and it opened four years ago in the U of A Botanic Garden southwest of Edmonton. The design also includes the Diwan, or pavilion, which was just recently finished, adding indoor gathering space. Additional donors funded construction of the Diwan to the tune of $5.5 million.

As Alberta’s Ismaili Muslim community commemorates five decades of history in Canada, many gathered at a ceremony Wednesday unveiling the final piece of the Aga Khan Garden.

The Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, gifted the $25-million garden to the University of Alberta and it opened four years ago in the U of A Botanic Garden southwest of Edmonton. The design also includes the Diwan, or pavilion, which was just recently finished, adding indoor gathering space. Additional donors funded construction of the Diwan to the tune of $5.5 million.

The University of Alberta is hoping to raise $4 million in order to build a new pavilion at the Aga Khan Garden.
On September 27, plans for the Aga Khan Garden Pavilion were outlined in a presentation at the General Faculties Council Facilities Development Committee. The pavilion will be a two-floor, 600 square metre, multipurpose gathering space that will support the University of Alberta Botanic Garden’s (UABG) activities. A completion date for the pavilion has not been set.

Mawlana Hazar Imam arrived in Edmonton today, accompanied by Prince Aly Muhammad, to begin a visit to Canada that will include the inauguration ceremony of the Aga Khan Garden in Edmonton as well as degree conferral ceremonies in Calgary and Vancouver.

Upon his arrival, Hazar Imam was greeted by AKDN Resident Representative for Canada Dr Mahmoud Eboo, President of the Ismaili Council for Canada Malik Talib, Vice-President of the Ismaili Council for Canada Karima Karmali, President of the Ismaili Council for Edmonton Zahra Somani and President of the Aga Khan University Firoz Rasul.

His Highness the Aga Khan is conferred an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Linda Hughes, Chancellor of the University of Alberta on June 9, 2009. 2009-06-09

Construction of a multimillion-dollar, Islamic-inspired garden at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden has officially reached the halfway point. Reporter Juris Graney toured the site Wednesday to get a feel for the project that’s being funded by a $25-million donation from the Aga Khan, the hereditary imam or spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims.
 
From the beginning
 
Initial design work on the Aga Khan Garden began six years ago, followed by early stages of construction starting on the grounds of the former Devonian Botanic Gardens in the summer of 2016.
 

Islamic-inspired garden is driving transformation at University of Alberta Botanic Garden
By Helen Metella on July 6, 2017

With construction of the huge Aga Khan Garden approaching the halfway mark, the site looks like one might imagine the Great Pyramids did as they were assembled.

The University of Alberta Botanical Garden will receive an Islamic garden set to bloom in 2018 as a gift.

The new Islamic garden will be the first in Western Canada supported by a more than $25 million donation from the the Aga Khan, who leads the second-largest Shia Islam branch. Known as the Aga Khan Garden, it will combine historic Islamic garden elements with the western Canadian landscape. The garden will reside within the University of Alberta Botanical Garden, which is about a 15-minute drive southwest of Edmonton.

North America’s largest — and possibly the world’s coldest — Islamic-inspired garden is to be built in Alberta, a $25-million gift from the Aga Khan that is expected to attract up to 160,000 visitors a year.

Spanning almost 12 acres, the Mughal garden, which was officially unveiled Friday, will become the centrepiece of the sprawling 240-acre University of Alberta Botanic Garden, located about 15 minutes southwest of the city.

2009 April 9: Muslim leader Aga Khan to receive U of A honorary degree - By Keith Gerein, edmontonjournal.com - EDMONTON

2009, June 09: Edmonton, Canada. H.H. The Aga Khan met with Premier Ed Stelmach and University of Alberta President, Dr. Indira Samarasekera to witness the signing of an agreement to enhance collaboration with the University of Alberta. The Aga Khan also received from U of Alberta an honorary degree at 3pm Edmonton time. Copy of Telecast available here:[Edmonton Ceremony] [More.