Salone del Mobile 2025 Events

In conversation with Lesley Lokko

April 11 ^th 2025 11:00 - 12:30 (CEST)

The talk by Lesley Lokko, founder of the African Futures Institute and curator of the 18th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, explores the rapid process of urbanization in Africa and the challenges that this entails in terms of education, sustainability and social innovation. The event aims to analyze the structural deficiencies in architecture and urban planning on the African continent, with an emphasis on the need to develop professional, conceptual and technical skills to deal with the changes taking place. One of the main objectives is to highlight the potential of Africa’s young population as an asset for the global future. With a significantly lower average age than Europe and the United States, the continent’s human capital represents an unexplored source of creativity and innovation. The talk calls for reflection on how it is possible to draw on this energy to rethink architectural and urban planning practices in more sustainable and equitable ways. Finally, Lokko proposes a change of perspective: it is not a question of teaching Africa how to adapt to global standards, but of understanding if and how the world can draw inspiration from situations often considered marginal, yet potentially the bearers of innovative solutions for the future.

The Talks are recognised by the Italian National Order of Architects (CNAPPC − National Council of Architects, Planners, Landscape Architects and Conservators) as accredited educational initiatives, each one of which will therefore be worth 2 credits. To ensure credit recognition, pre-registration to the following form is recommended: FORM.

Friday 11th April
11 am, in English
Lesley Lokko, Founder, Chair African Futures Institute
in conversation with Manuela Lucà-Dazio, Executive Director The Pritzker Architecture Prize

Drafting Futures. Conversations about Next Perspectives
Curated by Annalisa Rosso
Arena Drafting Futures by Formafantasma
Fiera Milano, Rho – Pavilion 14

Discover more, in the interview with Lesley Lokko

Ph. Alix McIntosh

Lesley Lokko

Professor Lesley Lokko OBE is the Founder and Chair of the African Futures Institute (AFI) headquartered in Accra, Ghana and Director of the Nomadic African Studio; an annual

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Speaker

Manuela Lucà-Dazio

Executive Director The Pritzker Architecture Prize

Manuela Lucà-Dazio holds a degree in architecture from the University of Naples, Italy, and a doctorate in architectural history from the University of Rome-Chieti, ltaly. From 2009 until 2019 she has been the Managing Director of the Visual Arts and Architecture Department of La Biennale di Venezia, where she was also responsible of the technical organization and production of the International Exhibitions. She is the Executive Director of the Pritzker Architecture Foundation, and Advisor to the LUMA Foundation in Arles, France.

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