Summary Building For Islam takes a close look at the finalists of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, recognizing architectural excellence throughout the Islamic world: some ancient; some modern; some utilitarian; and all unique. This four-part series takes an exclusive access-all-areas look behind the scenes at the nominees as the world's biggest architectural prize decides what's in and what's not in the Islamic architectural world. Some five hundred mud brick skyscrapers, eight stories high appear mirage like on the desertified Yemeni landscape. They are a sight to behold. This is the historic city of Shibam, the Manhattan of the Desert, where despite several flooding and erosion, some buildings date back 300 years and the site of vital efforts being made in order to preserve this idiosyncratic fragile metropolis for future generations. Shibam is one of a select number of eye-catching and often breathtaking Islamic architectural projects, which have been shortlisted for the finals of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. The 2007 Aga Khan Award for Architecture prize of US$500,000 was shared amongst nine architectural projects from Africa, The Mediterranean, the Middle East and South East Asia. Building for Islam, the BBC World series on the 2007 Aga Khan Award Winners, was nominated as one of the top BBC documentaries of 2007. Directed and filmed by Maximillian Jacobson - Gonzalez around the world, in locations including: Yemen, Bali, Bangladesh, Singapore, Malaysia, Cyprus, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Switzerland, The Netherlands. View more details

• Documentary