Ismaili Centre, Toronto, Islamic cultural center in Don Mills, Toronto, Canada
The Ismaili Centre is a religious institution in Toronto featuring a glass crystalline dome with steel trusses arranged in an eight-sided pattern. The complex occupies 17 acres along Wynford Drive and shares its grounds with the Aga Khan Museum alongside formal gardens designed by Vladimir Djurovic.
The centre opened in 2014 following a foundation ceremony in 2010 attended by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. This period marked the completion of an ambitious building project for the city's religious community.
The prayer hall walls feature Canadian maple paneling combined with stylized Kufic calligraphy, merging Islamic artistic traditions with North American materials. This blend reflects how the community roots its faith in its adopted home.
The site is easily accessible by public transit in a well-connected area of Toronto. Visitors should know that certain spaces may be reserved for prayer times and modest dress is expected when entering the prayer hall.
A specially designed screen made of steel ribbons divides the anteroom from the prayer hall, creating patterns that encourage spiritual reflection. This sculptural partition serves both as a functional divider and as an artwork that enhances the meditative quality of the space.
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