How Women are Shaping the Inaugural Pan-African Biennale
When the inaugural Pan-African Biennale (PAB) opens its doors in Nairobi, Kenya, from September 6th to 11th, 2026, it will mark a decisive turning point in global design discourse. Founded and led by Head Curator Omar Degan, the Somali-Italian architect and visionary, PAB stands as the first continental platform dedicated to architecture and spatial practice that is entirely conceived, built, and led from within Africa.
Operating under Degan's overarching curatorial framework, "Shifting the Center: From Fragility to Resilience," the event represents a collective reclamation of architectural authorship. Yet, a closer look at the official participant roster reveals a striking reality: groundbreaking women and female-led practices are driving the most critical conversations on sustainability, spatial justice, and territorial memory. Far from token representation, these visionaries are anchoring the Biennale's core message.
From earth-building pioneers to research-driven practitioners, women are rewriting the architectural rules of the continent.
1. Materiality and "Vernacular Intelligence"
A core pillar of PAB is challenging the import of energy-intensive, Western construction models. Several practices on the official roster are at the forefront of this material revolution, proving that ancestral knowledge and ecological adaptation are the ultimate tools for modern climate resilience.
Worofila (Senegal)
Co-founded by specialized practitioners including architect Nzinga Mboup, the Dakar-based practice Worofila has become synonymous with bioclimatic architecture. Worofila champions the use of raw earth—specifically compressed earth blocks (CEB)—and local Typha reed. Their structures breathe naturally, adapting seamlessly to West African microclimates without relying on energy-heavy air conditioning. At PAB, their work stands as a masterclass in how vernacular intelligence combats environmental fragility.
RAAS Architects (Ethiopia)
Founded by the internationally renowned architect Rahel Shawl, RAAS Architects is an Addis Ababa-based powerhouse built on a philosophy of conscious action and deep environmental care. The practice seamlessly blends contemporary aesthetics with traditional construction methods, local materials, and indigenous craftsmanship. By celebrating the texture, culture, and communal values of East Africa, RAAS demonstrates how homegrown, human-centered architecture acts as a shield against spatial vulnerability.
Valerie Mavoungou / Atelier Tropical (Congo)
Led by Valerie Mavoungou, Atelier Tropical brings a sophisticated, research-led focus to sustainable architecture in tropical climates. Specializing in eco-construction, timber engineering, and bio-sourced materials, the practice demonstrates how Central African architecture can innovate locally to drastically lower carbon footprints while creating high-performance, culturally resonant spaces.
Barla Barla Architectes (Cameroon)
Based in Douala, Barla Barla Architectes represents a dynamic model of sustainable design in Central Africa. The agency leverages high-level production standards to deliver responsible, context-specific architecture. Their approach honors cultural specifics while optimizing technical execution, proving that architectural rigor and regional adaptability go hand-in-hand.
Studio Ndaanan (Senegal)
Exploring the intersections of craft, interior architecture, and spatial textures, Studio Ndaanan honors West African design heritage. By translating traditional tactile knowledge into contemporary physical forms, they show how interior spatial memory contributes heavily to cultural and domestic resilience.
2. Memory, Identity, and Spatial Justice
Architecture is never neutral; it is a repository of political, social, and cultural narratives. For many women participating in PAB, design is a radical tool used to reclaim marginalized histories and protect vulnerable heritage.
Megawra – Built Environment Collective (Egypt)
Co-founded and directed by the visionary architect and conservationist Dr. May al-Ibrashy, Megawra – BEC operates at the vital intersection of heritage conservation and community development. Based in Cairo, their pioneering work treats historic preservation not as a passive museum exercise, but as a living tool for social justice, economic empowerment, and urban equity, directly reflecting the Biennale's transition from fragility to resilience.
Lemon Pebble Architects (South Africa)
Led by prominent architect Tanzeem Razak & Althea Peacock, Lemon Pebble is a Johannesburg-based, black-female-owned practice focusing deeply on spatial justice. In a post-apartheid landscape where urban layouts were intentionally used to segregate and oppress, the practice uses architectural intervention to explore identity, undo systemic biases, and honor the memory of marginalized communities.
Studio Ola Hassanain (Sudan)
Architect and researcher Ola Hassanain leads a deeply analytical practice that critiques the relationships between built space, political fractures, and ecological shifts. Her work examines how communities experience and resist displacement, positionally arguing that space is an active participant in political struggles. Her insights offer a vital, urgent lens on spatial agency during times of regional crisis.
Nadia Moussa (Comoros)
As the manager of Nadia Moussa Architectes & Associés (NM2A), Nadia Moussa brings an invaluable perspective centered on the historic preservation of cultural heritage and monuments in the Comoros islands. Her award-winning practice expertly navigates the spatial memories of the Comorian archipelago, focusing on how archiving and restoring island heritage creates a direct blueprint for community resilience.
3. Regional Pioneers and Collective Futures
The sheer geographical diversity of the participant list highlights that female spatial authorship spans every corner of the continent, addressing distinct localized challenges through regional contextualism:
Studio Neida (Mozambique )
An eco-conscious practice focusing on sustainable, context-driven architecture that responds elegantly to the evolving urban and coastal landscapes of southeastern Africa.
Moralo Designs (Botswana)
Sithabile has 19 years of post-graduate experience in the built environment working with both design and implementation of projects. She qualified in Architecture in Glasgow, Scotland. In 2006, she established Moralo Designs, an Architectural Practice which now offers Urban Design, Architectural Design, Landscape Design, Interior Design and Project Management services. Integrating regional indigenous patterns, traditional craft, and modern interior architecture to carve out a distinct contemporary identity for southern African spaces.
Lebala (Botswana): A practice that masterfully examines the relationships between landscape, geography, and the built form within the southern African sub-continent. Liminal Design (Malawi): Founded by Catherine Sani, an influential architect and the President of the Malawi Institute of Architects. Her Lilongwe-based consultancy operates as a storytelling practice through design, photography, and writing. Sani's work focuses on identity, urban contexts, and marginalized communities, exploring how architectural forms can reshape narratives and honor local heritage in Southeast Africa.
Lauge / Laboratorio de Arquitectura u Urbanismo de Guinea Ecuatorial (Equatorial Guinea):
by Laida Ikuga , LAUGE is A dynamic urban laboratory focused on mapping, research, and design solutions tailored to the unique coastal and urban fabrics of Equatorial Guinea.
Joan Razafimaharo (Madagascar):
Bringing a crucial Indian Ocean island perspective to the Biennale, her work beautifully intersects sustainable heritage preservation with contemporary spatial identity.
Una Stuurman Architects (Namibia): Focusing on deep regional contextualism, desert landscapes, and the documentation of southern African spatial identity.
Behind the Biennale: An Industry Realigned
What makes the presence of these participants even more powerful is that the overarching Biennale organization mirrors this exact energy. Working closely alongside Curator Omar Degan, the strategic, curatorial, and production machinery behind PAB brings immense specialized experience from across the globe—and it represents an overwhelming 97% female-led operational core, with just 3 men among a core team of over 18 women.
By putting these resilient, female-led practices and organizers on a continental stage, PAB is doing more than hosting an exhibition. It is building an open infrastructure for spatial memory—proving that under Degan's leadership and through the hands of these extraordinary women, the future of resilient, sustainable, and culturally sovereign African architecture is being decisively shaped.
Archiving the Movement: Pre-order the Official Publication
The temporary installations in Nairobi are just the beginning. The collective intelligence, research, and design philosophies of this historic gathering are being permanently archived in the official Pan-African Biennale 2026 book, published in partnership with the prestigious architectural press DOM Publishers.
Retailing for €48.00, this definitive volume serves as both a physical catalog and a scholarly record of the movement, immortalizing the works of these pioneering practices. For those looking to secure a piece of modern architectural history, pre-orders are currently open directly on the official DOM Publishers Pan-African Biennale 2026 Page.