When you think of design and architecture, what are the first names that come to mind? For many of us, the main references are Europeans and, fortunately, some great Brazilian names. To broaden our perspective, we searched Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America
for top architects and designers who have already achieved relevance in their creative fields, but are still little known to the general public.
Francis Kere
The award-winning architect was born in the village of Gando in Burkina Faso. He is the first child of a very poor family and began his career in carpentry after winning a scholarship from a German charity. But his country did not produce wood, so he decided to pursue
architecture . He graduated from the Technical School in Berlin and returned to Gando, where he began to apply
construction methods that combined the techniques of the region and what he had learned in Europe.
Extensão da Escola Primária de Gando, a aldeia onde Kéré nasceu. Ele acompanhou com esse projeto o crescimento pela demanda de educação na escola, unindo os saberes e as relações da comunidade a modernas técnicas de construção. (Enrico Cano)
In the Awakening of the Revolution project, Francis Kéré envisions a transparent architecture to house the Parliament of Burkina Faso.
Architecture Team
The Paraguay-based firm was founded in 2017. It is formed by Chilean Horacio Cherniavsky, Viviana Pozzoli and Roque Fanego, born in Asunción.
The three have relationships with universities and collectives, signing projects such as “Earthbox”.
A Earthbox é um pequeno escritório de arquitetura na capital do Paraguai, rodeado de árvores, construído em madeira e com vários recortes em vidro. (Divulgação)
MAP
The firm brings together names such as Luciano Andrades, Matías Carballal, Andrés Gobba, Mauricio López, Silvio Machado and Rochelle Castro. The team is made up of professionals from Uruguay and Brazil, and has designed projects such as the award-winning Sacromonte Landscape Hotel.
Sacromonte Landscape Hotel, localizado em El Éden, Maldonado (Uruguai). (Divulgação)
The house was the winner of the Best of Year Interior 2018, the Surface Travel Awards 2018 and a finalist in the Dezeen Awards 2018.
Rosie Lee
Chinese lighting designer Rosie Li, based in Brooklyn, New York, is inspired by cells, plants and other organic elements. She transforms nature into geometries without losing its beauty and complexity.
Pendente Laurel Blossom, de Rosie Li. (Divulgação)
Sumaya Dabbagh
The Saudi architect heads Dabbagh Architects and has led several award-winning cultural, institutional, residential and commercial projects.
She moved to the United Kingdom when she was just 13 years old, where her interests in art and science became decisive in her choice of professional path.
Um de seus projetos mais relevantes é o Centro Arqueológico Mleiha, localizado em Sharjah, que é a terceira cidade mais populosa dos Emirados Árabes Unidos. (Divulgação)
Kunle Adeyemi
His father founded one of Nigeria’s first architectural firms, and Adeyemi followed suit, becoming an award-winning architect and urban researcher. He has taught at Columbia University in New York and received an honorary doctorate from Hasselt University in Belgium.
Atualmente, está à frente do escritório NLÉ e concentra muitos de seus projetos na cidade de Lagos, que tem chamado a atenção pelo crescimento e pela visão alternativa do desenvolvimento africano. (Reze Bonna)
One of his most iconic projects is the Makoko floating school, which has served as inspiration for others around the world, such as this one in Chengdu, China, carried out in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
O sistema de construção na água cria uma nova oportunidade de urbanização e chama a atenção para as mudanças climáticas. (Divulgação)
Mokena Makeka
His work has an important political dimension and often seeks to transform the imposing architecture of South African apartheid. With his vision, he converts those fortresses that historically excluded sectors of the population into more open and vulnerable buildings.
Graduou-se em arquitetura com distinção na Universidade de Cape Town e fundou o Makeka Design Lab em 2002, que busca soluções inovadoras em arquitetura e urbanismo. (Divulgação)
Mokena is the founder of MoDILA (Museum of Design Innovation Leadership & Art) in South Africa, the country's first modern art museum. He brings the vision of using
interior design and art as tools for social evolution.
MoDILA (Museum of Design Innovation Leadership & Art), na África do Sul. (Divulgação)
David Adjaye
His birthplace is Tanzania, but Adjaye was raised in London. From his personal and professional background, he has constructed a language informed by African culture and, at the same time, with references from the northern hemisphere.
Adjaye é um dos nomes que fazem da África uma referência atual em inovação na arquitetura. (Divulgação)
One of his most iconic projects is the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. In 2017, it received the Design of the Year award and was described by the jury as a turning point in architecture.
Museu Nacional Smithsoniano de História e Cultura Afro-Americana. (Divulgação)
Raya Ani
The Iranian architect is one of the most influential in the Middle East, and is the director and founder of the multidisciplinary practice RAW-NYC. Based in New York and Dubai, her practice is led by women and supports social impact initiatives, committed to raising awareness on issues such as climate control and immigration.
Raya Ani tem interesses que abraçam diversas áreas além da arquitetura, do urbanismo e do design, incluindo moda, arte e meio ambiente. (Neeraj Murali)
His firm designed the Aspire sports complex in Doha, Qatar. He uses materials and construction techniques to control temperature and take advantage of natural light. Athletes and spectators should feel as if they are outdoors.
Complexo esportivo Aspire, em Doha, no Catar. (Divulgação)
