20 years of effort crowned with success: The "Revitalization of Historic Esna" project wins the Aga Khan Award and high praise from the jury
AKTC
Media Source: Soutalomma
Date: 5 September 2025
In a remarkable move, and 20 years after Egypt last won this international award, the Master Jury of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA), an architectural award established by the Aga Khan IV in 1977 in Geneva, Switzerland, announced the "Revitalisation of the Historic City of Esna" project as the winner of the 2025 A
In a remarkable move, and 20 years after Egypt last won this international award, the Master Jury of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA), an architectural award established by the Aga Khan IV in 1977 in Geneva, Switzerland, announced the "Revitalisation of the Historic City of Esna" project as the winner of the 2025 AKAA. This award is one of the most prestigious awards in this field. This win places Egypt back on the global architecture map after an absence of more than two decades, following the Bibliotheca Alexandrina's winning of the award in 2004. This award is the culmination of a long journey of collaborative work that brought together the Takween Foundation for Integrated Community Development, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and the Luxor Governorate, with support from the governments of the United States of America, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation. This unique experience established an inspiring model for development based on the preservation of cultural heritage and the involvement of the local community.