The Diversity in Architecture Award (DIVIA) has selected its 5 finalists, from a list of 29 nominees: Tosin Oshinowo (Nigeria), May al-Ibrashy (Egypt), Marta Maccaglia (Peru), Noella Nibakuze (Rwanda), and Katherine Clarke and Liza Fior (UK). The prize, dedicated to women architects, celebrates female figures by awarding and validating their work. Based in Berlin, the award platform promotes equality between men and women, making the discipline observable to all, and setting an example for the next generation of younger women architects.
This year, the winner of the 20,000-euro prize was nominated over the course of several steps. The jury members, Rahul Mehrotra (India/USA), Odile Decq (France), Martha Thorne (Spain), and Sol Camacho (Brazil), selected five women from a list of 29 nominees. The work of these five architects will be on display at Berlin’s ANCB The Aedes Metropolitan Laboratory beginning May 6th. On the event's opening night, one of the five finalists will be announced as the award winner. Moreover, the prize winner will be honored during a reception in the Palazzo Contarini Polignac on May 19th, during the first week of the 18th annual La Biennale di Venezia.
The visibility of women in architecture and urban disciplines can only be encouraged with a certain level of public recognition. The Diversity in Architecture Award attempts to speed up this process through a celebration of the work of women architects. Read on to get to know the finalists.
Tosin Oshinowo - Nigeria
Born in 1980 in Nigeria, Oshinowo was educated in the UK and has had work experience in many firms across Europe and Africa. After returning to Lagos in 2009 inspired by the city’s creative freedom and potential, she played a key role in developing the capital into the design hub it is today. In 2012, Oshinowo established cmDesign Atelier, a studio working mainly in Nigeria, curating a “truly African” style that she calls afro-minimalism. The studio is responsible for many projects including The Maryland Mall in Lagos and the rebuilding of the Ngarannam village in cooperation with UNDP.
May Al-Ibrashy - Egypt
Based in Cairo, May Al Ibrashy works within cultural heritage and conservation of Historic Cairo. She is working on revolutionizing the common understanding of the architecture practice at large. Her non-profit architectural studio, Megawra, was established in 2011, rooted in cultural heritage as the main driver for progress. Ibrashy’s work focuses on changing communities and creating urban fabrics to the locality’s preferences. Viewing heritage as a resource rather than a burden, she aims to reignite the relationship between the Egyptian people and their heritage, encouraging them to become cocreators of their city.
Marta Maccaglia - Peru
The Italian architect Marta Maccaglia, born in 1983, established her non-profit architectural organization only three years after her arrival in Peru. The studio builds schools and public spaces in the most remote spaces of the Peruvian jungle. Based in Pangoa, Lima, and San Ignacio, Maccaglia runs her organization with an interdisciplinary team of architects, builders, and artisans. She executes her projects by collaborating with governmental and educational institutions. Moreover, Maccaglia believes in absorbing the voices of indigenous communities in every participatory stage of the building process. Her strong sense of collaborative work is the basis of her foundation for a harmonious social community.
Noella Nibakuze - Rwanda
Born in 1985 in Rwanda, Noelle Nibakuze strives to develop an authentically Rwandan architectural narrative. In 2012, after studying architecture in South Africa, she moved back to her home country where she became one of the first fifty nationally certified architects in Rwanda. In her role as design director of the Kigali office of MASS Design Group, Nibazuke believes in promoting the use of local materials and labor to create justice and human dignity. With a strong focus on architectural design, construction, building technology, and sustainability, she encourages young women to pursue careers in STEM and design. Moreover, she acts as a mentor for architecture students and young professionals entering the field.
Katherine Clarke & Liza Fior - United Kingdom
Founded in 1995 in London, muf architecture/art is a transdisciplinary architecture studio established by Katherine Clarke and Liza Fior. The studio works with a simple intention: creating genuine public space. Ranging from urban design schemes to temporal interventions to landscapes, their studio is in constant dialogue between details and strategy. Katherine Clarke is an artist and Liza Fior is the architect of the studio, working mainly in London and internationally in the cities of Pittsburgh, Malmö, and Gothenburg. The organization's process is rooted in great amounts of research, inspiring interviews, and discussions with users, developers, and institutions in order to achieve the most impactful results.
