Achievement: Pakistan’s 1st female architect wins UK royal award

Yasmeen Lari, Pakistan’s first female architect, has been awarded the King Royal Gold Medal for Architecture in the UK for her work in promoting self-build concepts with zero-carbon emissions for displaced populations.

The British High Commission in Pakistan congratulated Lari on her achievement and shared images of students from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Britain who had gathered at Granny Square in London to build two zero/low carbon structures designed by Lari.

The Royal Gold Medal is one of the highest accolades for architecture and is personally approved by the monarch, awarded to individuals who have significantly influenced architectural advancement, according to the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

Previous recipients of the medal include Balkrishna Doshi, Sir David Adjaye, Dame Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry, Lord Norman Foster, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Sir George Gilbert Scott. Lari, who retired in 2000, has since focused on creating accessible, environmentally friendly construction techniques to aid impoverished communities and those displaced by natural disasters and climate change.

She co-founded the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan in 1980, pioneering the design of self-built sustainable shelters and housing, creating 50,000 dwellings. The award will be officially presented to Lari in June 2023.