Tosin Oshinowo appointed curator

Sharjah Architecture Triennial announces the appointment of Lagos-based Nigerian architect Tosin Oshinowo as the curator of its second  edition, opening in 2023. The Triennial is a platform for architecture and urbanism from West Asia to South Asia and the African continent. Oshinowo’s appointment builds on the strength and dialogue of the inaugural edition whilst broadening its scope as it continues developing a network, discourse and community. Renowned for her socially responsive approaches to architecture, design and urbanism, Oshinowo is the principal of cmDesign Atelier, the architecture studio she founded in 2012.

Trained in London, Oshinowo has worked across a number of prominent architectural civic and residential projects in Nigeria for over a decade. This includes a project currently underway with the United Nations Development Programme to plan and rebuild a village in northern Nigeria destroyed by Boko Haram. Her perspective on design and architecture is grounded in a distinctly African context and a deep respect for her native Yoruba culture and history, adapted to the framework of international contemporary design. Oshinowo was a co-curator of the second Lagos Biennial (2019) and collaborated with Lexus on a conceptual design exploration for Design Miami (2020). The recipient of numerous awards, she has written widely on urbanism, afro modernism, design and identity for publications including Expansions, which was produced for the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale.

Conscious of the societal and environmental impact of design, Oshinowo’s approach offers a more equitable vision for the future of the field. In doing so, her work shares in the mission of Sharjah Architecture Triennial to pursue a multi-disciplinary approach that fosters an understanding of the role—and potential—of architecture.

“The theme of adaptability that is central to Oshinowo’s curatorial proposal builds on the Sharjah Architecture Triennial commitment to addressing the challenging conditions we face not only in the Global South but around the world,’ commented Hoor Al Qasimi, Director of the Sharjah Architecture Triennial. ‘With a breadth of knowledge and experience from her work in an African context, Oshinowo brings to the second edition a decisive, and much needed, focus on socially responsive approaches to architecture and urbanism.”

Tosin Oshinowo commented: “I am honoured to be appointed as curator of the 2023 Sharjah Architecture Triennial, which provides a ground-breaking platform to celebrate the architecture and urbanism of the Global South. My approach is inspired by the history, traditions, and landscape of Sharjah and other cities across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, exploring architecture and design solutions that are built from conditions of scarcity. I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues around the world to illuminate a pathway forward that reorients our global conversation on sustainable architecture, urbanism, and infrastructure.”

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About Sharjah Architecture Triennial: Founded in 2018 by Khalid Al Qasimi, Sharjah Architecture Triennial (SAT) is a platform for architecture and urbanism in a region that extends from West Asia to South Asia and the African continent. Physically anchored in Sharjah and the United Arab Emirates, SAT aims to engage diverse audiences and stakeholders in a collective conversation on architecture at the neighbourhood, city, and regional levels. Institutional research and programming support on-going critical reflection through exhibitions, publications, and public programmes in tandem with its international editions. SAT is committed to pursuing a multi-disciplinary approach that fosters an understanding of the broader role of architecture, including its relation to social and environmental issues.