Yasmeen Lari

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This volume offers a rich exploration of the life and work of celebrated architect Yasmeen Lari, the first woman to establish an architecture firm in Pakistan in 1964 and a winner of the 2023 RIBA Royal Gold Medal. After over three decades as a prominent global architect, Lari developed Zero Carbon Architecture, which integrates ecological and social justice. Edited by Angelika Fitz, Elke Krasny, and Marvi Mazhar, the book traces Lari’s evolution from a modernist to a zero-carbon revolutionary, highlighting her vital role in the global movement to decarbonize and decolonize architecture. It features extensive photographs, drawings, and plans from Lari’s archive, many previously unpublished. Lari’s approach transcends singular architectural solutions, focusing on systemic strategies for housing, heritage foundations, and zero-carbon shelters for vulnerable communities. Original essays from diverse international contributors contextualize her work, exploring architecture within postimperial, postcolonial, and postpartition frameworks. They also examine the intersections of architecture with human rights, climate change, decolonization, gender, care, activism, and vernacular innovation. This volume not only honors Yasmeen Lari’s remarkable career but also emphasizes her legacy and the potential for creating meaningful change today.