The vision is to establish a Muslim-led, community hub housed in an environmentally sustainable building in the heart of Christchurch, featuring authentic Islamic architecture and design principles. It will serve as a holistic well-being centre capable of meeting a variety of health, social, and economic community needs as well as preserving Islamic heritage, culture, and values for generations to come. It is envisioned as an inclusive place, sanctioned by Ngāi Tahu and respectful towards the indigenous Māori culture of New Zealand, where all people are welcome and where Muslims from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds can feel at home – a gift from the Muslim world to Christchurch.

Recognising the potential and importance of this vision, Asturlab became an officially established charitable trust in 2021. While the long-term plan for such a community hub is an ambitious one, Asturlab’s journey began at the grassroots. In the meantime, we have embraced mobility, curating spaces for different events in Christchurch that capture the essence of what Asturlab aspires to become. We moved our head office from a home office into a commercially leased space near Christchurch’s central business district in 2022.