About
Since its establishment in 1979, the Pritzker Architecture Prize—often referred to as
architecture’s Nobel Prize—has primarily honored the work of white male architects
from developed nations. After more than four decades, in 2022, for the first time, the
medal went to a Black and African architect, Francis Kéré, in recognition of his local and
yet innovative architecture in contexts of extreme scarcity. This delay reflects the
profession’s preconceptions of what counts as good architecture, preconceptions that
continue to be strongly influenced by a long-standing exclusionary architectural canon
that privileges western aesthetics, technologies and practices. The root of the problem
lies in architectural education. Despite conscious decisions to move towards the
inclusion of non-western architecture in curriculums across the US, since the
late 1990s, it has only been successful when addressing pre-Renaissance architecture,
while post Renaissance to contemporary references beyond Eurocentric models
continue to go mostly unnoticed. At a time when diversity, equity, and inclusion are
more urgent than ever, it is paramount for academia to take a definitive stand and work
towards the diversification of the architectural canon; “Architecture from the Global
South: A Digital Archive,” the first website of this kind, seeks to contribute to this critical
effort.
“Architecture from the Global South: A Digital Archive,” exposes undergraduate and
graduate students to the work of innovative practicing architects in developing countries
by asking them to develop a digital catalog of “new” architectural precedents from the
perspective of architecture and culture. Specifically, the catalog focuses on architects
who, despite the pressure of globalization, embrace their local culture to propose a body
of work that addresses sustainability in all the dimensions of architecture: culture,
matter, and energy. Students have the opportunity to: a. establish first-hand
relationships with some of the leading figures in the field; b. gain an overall
understanding of these architects’ body of work, and; c. be exposed to new
perspectives on architectural practice, some of which, given the social-economic
context, defy traditional Eurocentric knowledge on materials and building technologies.
The website builds on existing efforts within the School of Architecture. Specifically, it
expands on the Lectures on Architecture and Culture, generously funded by Holly and
Professor Emeritus Paul Tesar. Since 2020, 40 students have studied the work of 16
prominent architects, studying their biography and one to two key design projects for
each) and developed precedent studies for the website.
Architect Credits/Permissions
Africa:
Atelier Masōmī (Niger)
Francis Kéré (Burkina Faso)
Latin America:
Ambrosi | Etchegaray (Mexico)
Barclay & Crousse (Peru)
Solano Benítez (Paraguay)
Taller de arquitectura Mauricio Rocha (Mexico)
Asia:
Anupama Kundoo (India)
Bangkok Project Studio (Thailand)
Eleena Jamil (Malaysia)
Marina Tabassum (Bangladesh)
Neri & Hu (China)
Studio Mumbai (India)
VTN Architects (Vietnam)
Middle East:
Abeer Seikely (Jordan)
Hassan Fathy (Egypt)
Design Team
DeMagistris, Emma: Graphic Designer
Tiedeman, Drew: Website Developer + Graphic Designer
Student Collaborators
Al Naqshabandi, Shams
Hassan Fathy: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Bagan, Brittany
Marina Tabassum: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Boudwin, Cece
VTN Architects: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Bustillos-Francis, Nabila
Solano Benítez: Digital model
Carter II, Mack
Francis Kéré: Digital model
Castellanos, Miguel
Ambrosi | Etchegaray: Digital model
Cheruvathoor, Kevin
Palinda Kannangara: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Chougula, Akash
Studio Mumbai: Digital model
Cisneros, Danytza
Abeer Seikaly: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Craig, Mia
Neri & Hu: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Creviston, Brianna
Bangkok Project Studio: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Cuneo-Williams, Nicole
Anupama Kundoo: Digital model + image editor
DeMagistris, Emma
Barclay & Crousse: Image editor
Marina Tabassum: Image editor
Domínguez-Tapia, Rosario
Atelier Masōmī: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Evans Holness, Wayne
Taller de arquitectura Mauricio Rocha: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Fellowes, Emma
Palinda Kannangara: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Kanipe, Paige
Atelier Masōmī: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Ganesh, Gayatri
Neri & Hu: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Gillin, Abigail
Solano Benítez: Digital model
Graves, Dy’Kasha
Palinda Kannangara: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Hall, Jessica
Ambrosi | Etchegaray: Digital model
Jacobs, Isaiah
Taller de arquitectura Mauricio Rocha: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Johnson, Cameron
Francis Kéré: Image editor + biographical research
Solano Benítez: Image editor + biographical research
Knorr, Daniel
Ambrosi | Etchegaray: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Mallikeshwaran, Lalith
Marina Tabasum: Digital model + interview
Motevalli, Golsa
Bangkok Project Studio: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Osman, Reyan
Hassan Fathy: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Patel, Saakshi
Studio Mumbai: Image editor + biographical research
Pfaff, Laura
Studio Mumbai: Digital model
Reuben, Shaina
Ambrosi | Etchegaray: Interview
Barclay & Crousse: Digital model
Richardson, DaeJane
Barclay & Crousse: Digital model + interview + biographical research
Sloan, Dottie
Barclay & Crousse: Digital model + interview + biographical research
Smith, Zoe
Abeer Seikaly: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Smithey, Megan
Eleena Jamil: Interview
Tiedeman, Drew
Barclay & Crousse: Image editor
Marina Tabassum: Image editor
Ambrosi | Etchagaray: Interview
Wang, Stella
Anupama Kundoo: Digital model + image editor
Waterman, Lauren
Anupama Kundoo: Digital model + image editor
Wright, David
Marina Tabasum: Digital model + interview
Eleena Jamil: Interview
Wu, Kelly
Anupama Kundoo: Digital model + image editor
Wyatt, Veronica
VTN Architects: Digital model + image editor + biographical research
Transcripts
Patricia Morgado, Ph.D.
Contact
Patricia Morgado, Ph.D.
patricia_morgado@ncsu.edu