In this Louisiana Channel interview with Yasmeen Lari, the renowned Pakistani architect speaks about the role of architects and the needed perspective shifts of the industry in contemporary times. Awarded the RIBA Royal Gold Medal in 2023 for her humanitarian efforts, Lari emphasizes the need to rethink the architecture industry to address social disparities and resource deficiencies. In the interview, the architect and designer reflects on her upbringing, architectural education, and her practice today.
The interview begins with the award-winning architect describing the role of architects over the past couple of centuries, from working with the Medicis to tech giants and corporate companies today. The architect has always been conditioned to serve the wealthy. Lari begins to share that she realized the need for a change in perspective. In fact, iconic buildings may not always be enough; the world requires expertise for more significant and humanitarian causes.
Lari believes that architects possess a unique skill and aptitude for design, which is essential in addressing disparities and resource deficiencies. Moreover, architects are trained to consider the context, coordinate with many different disciplines, and understand their clients. This makes the practitioners well-suited to serve humanity. To achieve this, this redefinition of the field of architecture must occur.
The designer established Lari Associates, responsible for many significant projects in the country. In fact, Pakistan’s first public house scheme and many landmark buildings in Karachi are attributed to the studio. However, her true global impact came through her work for the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan, which she co-founded. In fact, the architect is now fully dedicated to humanitarian causes and has earned many prestigious awards.
The kind of person fashioning a built environment has to be thinking of their duty. How to save the planet - but more than that, decolonizing and democratizing architecture. No longer catering to one entity or someone with power, but it's a democratic way of practicing - talking to people and working with them. Treating them as partners, not people without ability. –Yasmeen Lari
For the architect, the evolution of architecture goes beyond designing buildings. In fact, it involves decolonizing and democratizing the field. She believes that architects should no longer cater to entities with power but work with people and treat them as partners. Moreover, this shift often requires letting go of control, a blunt contrast to more traditional architectural practices.
The conversation mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic when a moment of humanization leveled the playing field for all. Yasmeen Lari encourages a continued focus on doing good for others, especially by supporting young people who are striving to enter these fields and allowing them to make positive changes in the world. She believes it is the core responsibility of institutions and established architects to mentor and support young practitioners, opening up new opportunities for them to join the field. This includes the designer’s idea to create an architecture incubator space in universities where mentorship and support programs can occur.
Yasmeen Lari also highlights the ability of architects to address urgent global concerns, including homelessness, climate change, increasing sea levels, and conflict migration. She draws attention to lessons that may be drawn from conventional urbanism, which can be seen as eco-urbanism when the ecological component is prioritized. She also emphasizes how crucial it is to use water well and embrace cutting-edge techniques from around the globe to adjust to regional conditions.
ArchDaily recently interviewed the architect at the 2023 UIA World Congress of Architecture in Copenhagen, where she explained more of her work in heritage conservation and humanitarian activism. In April, the Royal Institute of British Architects announced that Professor Yasmeen Lari will receive the 2023 Royal Gold Medal for architecture. The award, one of the highest honors for architecture and the first to be personally approved by King Charles III, recognizes Yasmeen Lari’s work in championing zero-carbon self-build concepts for displaced populations.
To see more architecture videos, check ArchDaily's full coverage of Louisiana Channel's series of interviews.
