Inside the Ismaili Center, the iconic institution making Houston home

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- In the heart of Montrose, steps from Buffalo Bayou, rises a uniquely Houston gathering place and an iconic institution in the making: The Ismaili Center.

"Houston is one of the most diverse cities, right? The Ismaili Center truly celebrates that idea of diversity. It brings people from all walks of life," Farah Lalani said.

Lalani is among the many Ismaili volunteers who played a role in helping make a decades-long dream into a reality. Omar Samji is another.

"As an Ismaili, what it means to me is we are looking to bring to the communities where we live something that is added, and valuable, and something that engages the community around us. And the value is trying to make the community around you where you live better because of your presence," Samji said.

The Ismaili Center is indeed a unique presence. Every wall, curve, and color, indoors and out, were carefully designed to integrate elements of the community's faith and promote its core values of service to the community and openness to all.

"My favorite spot is actually where we're standing. It's the central atrium. If you look up, it is 70 feet high, and it leads to a skylight, which is the oculus," Lalani said.

Whether you're inside marveling at the architecture or outside walking among the nine acres of native Texas plants in the gardens, it's clear that an extraordinary amount of planning went into building the Ismaili Center. And that's intentional, because it's designed to serve the Houston community for the next 100 years.

"I think until you come here and feel the space, it's hard to describe architecturally, both in building and landscape. What is here is a space that feels deliberately warm but simple. It's a space that is grand because yes - it is a large building, but it's also cozy. It's built for interaction."

Only open since last November, the center has already become a gathering place for community events and Houston civic life.

"One of the things I love about the center is the fact that we get to engage our immediate community," the center's director, Rozina Mussani, said. "So whether it's yoga - we have our next yoga session coming up - whether it's movies in the park, whether it is festivals, whether it is celebrating major holidays, this place is able to bring all of these different events together."

The center is open for free tours during the week. There is an art gallery, a children's playroom, a library, and plenty of space for hosting whatever Houstonians may need.

"The goal is really to invite all of Houston, wherever you come from, to come and join us," Mussani said. "Whether it's a walk in the gardens, a bite at the café, whether it's any of our programs, but to really use this space as a way to come together and learn about each other."