The Supreme Jury of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture announced that the “Revitalization of Historic Esna” project has been named a winner of the 2025 edition of the award, one of the most prestigious honors in the field of architecture.
The recognition places Egypt back on the global architectural map after more than two decades, following the Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s win in 2004.
The Esna project was the result of a long-term collaborative effort led by Takween Integrated Community Development, in partnership with Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Luxor Governorate, and with support from the U.S. Government, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation.
In its citation, the jury praised the project for going beyond traditional boundaries of urban conservation, offering instead a holistic vision that integrates economic and cultural development. The initiative was commended for its comprehensive social program designed to gradually enhance the heritage environment while addressing contemporary community needs.
The Geneva-based jury emphasized the central role of local residents in shaping the project’s success, noting: “The community is a main actor in maintaining urban harmony through their living heritage, sparking a sustainable regenerative momentum in an urban fabric that had become fragile.”
Comprising leading international experts in architecture, culture, and the arts, the jury highlighted the project’s distinct value in addressing not only well-known monuments but also the broader urban fabric, economic activities, and social life of Esna. The statement underscored that “through the restoration and adaptive reuse of commercial, residential, and spiritual buildings, the project activates an entire historic urban system to confront contemporary challenges—improving human conditions and strengthening the livelihoods of artisans.”
The Aga Khan Award for Architecture, established in Geneva in 1977 by His Highness the Aga Khan IV, celebrates projects that set new standards in architectural excellence while promoting cultural identity and sustainable development.
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