Pedram Karimi

Performing Communities

While the traditional museum’s collection and exhibition of artifacts is instructive, this thesis prioritizes instead the ephemeral “stuff” that is equally important in encountering other cultures: interaction, performance, and experience.

Envisioned as a necessary supplement to Toronto’s Aga Khan Museum’s permanent collection of artifacts from Muslim civilizations around the world, this thesis draws upon ceremonial and theatrical spaces in Persian Islamic architecture for inspiration. The concept of narrative-based architecture shapes new formal and informal performance spaces that are culturally and programmatically diverse, reflecting the needs and tastes of contemporary Muslim communities in North America and beyond.

Advisor: Laura Miller

Winter 2021