Yasmeen Lari, widely recognized as Pakistan’s first female architect, has become the first woman since Zaha Hadid to win the prestigious Royal Gold Medal, awarded by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
Lari, described by RIBA as “a revolutionary force in Pakistan,” was recognized for her socially conscious work, creating accessible, environmentally friendly homes for the country’s most marginalized people — those living below the poverty line and in communities displaced by natural disasters and the impact of climate change.
The Royal Gold Medal is awarded to a person (or group of people) who has had “significant influence on the advancement of architecture” and, RIBA says, “acknowledges Yasmeen Lari’s work championing zero-carbon self-build concepts for displaced populations.”
The award is personally approved by the British monarch and this year’s is the first to be signed off by King Charles III.
“I was so surprised to hear this news and of course totally delighted! I never imagined that as I focus on my country’s most marginalized people — venturing down uncharted vagabond pathways — I could still be considered for the highest of honors in the architectural profession,” Lari said in a statement. “There are innumerable opportunities to implement principles of circular economy, de-growth, transition design, eco-urbanism, and what we call Barefoot Social Architecture (BASA) to achieve climate resilience, sustainability and eco justice in the world.”
Lari created the Zero Carbon Cultural Centre in 2011. Credit: Heritage Foundation of Pakistan
“I believe (the recognition) is a reflection of the emerging consciousness, particularly among young professionals, who wish to fashion a new world order in the face of challenges posed by rising disparities, homelessness and climate change,” she told CNN.
Born in Pakistan in 1941, Lari studied at Oxford Brookes University before returning to Pakistan in 1964 where she overcame “considerable challenges” to establish Lari Associates, her own architecture firm, creating glitzy buildings for major government, business, and financial institutions. But she developed a deepening sense of guilt over the amount of concrete and steel used, and has said she has been “atoning” ever since, now working to a mantra of “low cost, zero carbon, zero waste.”
The Pakistan State Oil Head Office in Karachi (shown here in 1984) was designed by Lari. Credit: Heritage Foundation of Pakistan
RIBA President Simon Allford said, “Lari’s mission during her ‘second’ career has empowered the people of Pakistan through architecture, engaging users in design and production. She has shown us how architecture changes lives for the better… She has reacted imaginatively and creatively making affordable projects that address the real and often urgent need for accommodation, and basic services.”
Top image: Yasmeen Lari at the Zero Carbon Women Center on Bamboo Stilts in Pakistan, 2011.
