The Ismaili community envisioned a place in Houston where people could gather, reflect, and learn. The Ismaili Center was designed as a civic and cultural space open to the broader community, with a prayer hall, theatre, library, classrooms, café, and an eleven-acre garden inspired by Texas ecosystems
Turning that vision into a finished space required careful coordination and experienced partners. McCarthy Building Companies selected MAREK for its background in cultural and institutional projects and its ability to plan, prefabricate, and manage complex schedules. Working alongside McCarthy, architect DLR Group, and structural and façade engineer AKT II, MAREK delivered key building systems that support both performance and user experience across the five-story, fourteen-thousand-square-meter Center.
The Ismaili Center is the first of its kind in the United States and one of only seven worldwide. Its design blends traditional and modern influences, including hand-carved stone panels from Portugal and strong connections between indoor and outdoor spaces. With many architectural elements working together, the project demanded steady communication and coordination across all teams.
One of the most detailed components was a custom Vogl ceiling system from Germany. Its triangular perforation pattern required precise modeling, layout, procurement, and installation. This system was new to MAREK and required close attention at every stage. Additional challenges included multiple ceiling types, high-end finishes, elevated topping slabs on each floor, and shifting delivery schedules.
MAREK’s scope included prefabrication, exterior cold-formed metal framing, interior drywall partitions, ceilings and soffits, fireproofing, spray foam on Level 3, and insulation on Levels 2 through 5. The team relied on VDC for layout verification, regular coordination meetings, prefabricated jigs and PanelMax for consistency, and careful substrate preparation to meet finish requirements. When schedules shifted, sequencing was adjusted to keep work moving.
The partnership between McCarthy and MAREK played a key role throughout the project. Clear communication and field coordination allowed teams to address challenges as they arose. McCarthy recognized the professionalism and consistency of MAREK’s field crews, which helped maintain progress despite the project’s complexity.
Key contributors included VDC Specialist Hector Gonzalez; Lead Field Supervisor Jaime Ramos; Field Supervisors Sonny Giang and Edgar Martinez; Superintendent David McMillan; Drywall Project Manager Joel Marek; Insulation Project Manager Scott Wesley; and the carpenters whose craftsmanship supported the work.
Through planning, coordination, and steady execution, the teams delivered a Center that reflects the intent of the owner, architect, and engineers. The project demonstrates what is possible when experienced teams stay aligned and focused from start to finish.
FUN FACTS
- There are 6 other Ismaili Centers around the world, this is the first in the United States.
- The center was designed for sustainability and enhanced energy performance, by encasing exposed steel with concrete for a 100-year life cycle and stone was used for the building’s exterior walls.
- The eivan (verandas)are supported by forty-nine columns that are reminiscent to those used in Persepolis and seventeenth century palaces in Isfahan, Persia.
