Archnet staff published a total of 343 new records to Archnet.org. Highlights included 20 briefs on projects shortlisted in the 2019 cycle of the triennial Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA), and 315 images of Afghanistan, Syria, and Iran from the Aga Khan Visual Archive and Harvard University’s collection of photographs and video by the Baroness Marie-Thérèse Ullens de Schooten.
Each AKAA project brief brings together documentation collected through the nomination and documentation processes, such as the on-site reports, graphic panels, images, and other information in a single document containing a wealth of information about the project, its history, design approach, usage, and outcomes. Also added in June, 4 issues of AT HOME: the digital newsletter of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
Fewer people visit Archnet between June and August each year, and this year was no exception. Nonetheless, the number of Archnet users in June increased by 20% over the same period last year, and the number of page views was up by over 40%.
The most downloaded publication was Islamic Architecture in Cairo: An Introduction and the most viewed video in June was a 1959 recording of “Qim Rhori,” music of the Zaiane Tribe of Morocco’s Middle Atlas mountains. Our Top 10 page contains lists of all the most accessed pages, publications, search terms, and videos.
As this highly unusual academic year draws to a close, we once again renew our call for material to expand Archnet’s Pedagogy Project. With so many of us likely to be teaching or learning remotely next year, resources adapted to the virtual learning environment would be especially welcome. Contact us at archnet-submissions@mit.edu to share syllabi, media, lesson plans, or other material.
Thank you very much to all Archnet.org users, donors, catalogers, and all the others who contributed to our success in the 2019-2020 academic year!