The keynote lecture and subsequent conversation are organised in connection with Imperfect Assemblies, an exhibition by the international network Cultures of Assembly (CoA) at Form/Design Center. The exhibition explores how we can collectively build, shape and negotiate our shared spaces in times of change.
Meriem Chabani's work on power structures, memory and urban development connects with the themes of the exhibition. The keynote and subsequent conversation will explore how belonging and public spaces are shaped at the intersection of architecture, democracy and local engagement.
About Meriem Chabani
Meriem Chabani is the founder of the award-winning studio NEW SOUTH. Her work explores the intersection of architecture, urban structures and anthropology, with a particular focus on placing marginalised places and perspectives at the centre.
Chabani's work with public spaces, memory and belonging is reflected in projects such as the cultural centre in Taungdwingyi, Myanmar, the Globe Aroma arts centre for displaced people in Brussels and the upcoming Mosque Zero in Paris. She is also a finalist in the design competition for the National Slavery Museum in Amsterdam.
As an educator and lecturer, Chabani has taught internationally, including as Aga Khan Design Critic in Architecture at Harvard GSD in the United States. She currently teaches at École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture Paris-Malaquais.