A sprawling new 150,000 square-foot Islamic Center has just opened in Houston, TX. This is the world’s largest Ismaili Center. There are six others — in London, Vancouver, Lisbon, Dubai, Dushanbe and Toronto. The Ismaili Center, Houston, an architecturally grand cultural and religious space and one of only seven worldwide, has completed construction and is opening to the public next month. Why it matters: The 150,000 square-foot center — the first in the U.S. — blends Islamic and contemporary design. It spans 11 acres and sits along Buffalo Bayou. While its prayer hall will serve Ismaili Muslims daily, the center and its gardens are designed as a community gathering space open to all Houstonians. Context: Ismailis, a branch of Shia Islam, are guided by a hereditary imam — currently His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan V, who succeeded his father in February. Believed to be a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, the imam leads a community of millions across more than 70 countries. Houston has the largest population of Ismailis in the U.S. Tens of thousands of Ismailis live in the greater Houston area and attend the region’s several Jamatkhanas, or prayer halls. Driving the news: At a Thursday dedication ceremony, the Aga Khan and Mayor John Whitmire officially opened the center. The imam will visit the Ismaili community in events through Sunday in Houston — his first visit to the U.S. in a religious capacity — marking a deeply spiritual moment for the community. Flashback: The land was purchased in 2006 by the Aga Khan Foundation, and construction began in 2021. The center fulfills a long-held vision of the late His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV. Houston was selected because it’s a global city with a large Ismaili population. It certainly feels like a new trend is emerging….