Mariam Kamara facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mariam Issoufou Kamara
Born	April 1979 (age 45–46) Saint-Étienne, France
Alma mater	Purdue University New York University University of Washington
Occupation	Architect

Mariam Issoufou Kamara, born in April 1979 in Saint-Étienne, France, is a talented architect from Niger. She is known for her unique building designs. Her work often features open living spaces. She uses local materials like cement, recycled metal, and raw earth. These materials are easily found in African communities.

Mariam Kamara's Life Story

Mariam Issoufou Kamara was born in 1979. When she was younger, she first wanted to be a computer engineer. She studied computer science at Purdue University and New York University. After working in computing for seven years, she decided to follow her dream of becoming an architect.

In 2013, Kamara earned her master's degree in architecture from the University of Washington. Her special project, called Mobile Loitering, looked at how public spaces are used in Niger. It focused on how different genders use these spaces. Her work was shown at an exhibition in Italy in 2014.

Her Career in Architecture

While still in the United States, Mariam Kamara helped start an architecture group called united4design in 2013. When she returned to Niger, she created her own firm, Atelier Masomi, in 2014. This firm focuses on designing buildings with open spaces. It uses local building styles.

The United4design group worked on projects in the United States, Afghanistan, and Niger. Kamara's designs often use geometric shapes. She builds with three main local materials: cement, recycled metal, and raw earth. These materials are easy for many communities to get.

In 2017, she taught about city planning at Brown University in Rhode Island. In 2022, Kamara became a full professor at ETH Zurich in Switzerland. She teaches about architecture, heritage, and sustainability there. In 2024, she helped choose winners for the first Ammodo Architecture Awards.

Important Building Projects

Niamey 2000 Apartments

Her first big project was Niamey 2000. This was an apartment complex built in 2016. She designed it with other architects. The project aimed to solve problems with older concrete buildings in Niamey.

The complex has four buildings made from a mix of earth and cement. A special part of the design is a bench in front. This bench helps bring back the traditional faada. A faada is a local gathering of friends and family. It usually happens in the space between a house and the street. Niamey 2000 was chosen as one of the top twenty projects for a major architecture award in 2022.

Hikma in Dandaji

In 2018, Mariam Kamara worked on the Hikma project in Dandaji, Niger. Hikma means "wisdom" in Arabic. This project is a cultural center. It includes a mosque, a library, and a community center. The buildings use a traditional technique called rammed earth. Kamara's work combines modern and traditional knowledge.

Before starting a project, Kamara always does a lot of research. She talks to the people who will use the buildings. She wants to understand how they live and what they need. This helps her design spaces that are comfortable and culturally right for them. The Hikma project won two awards in 2017. These were from the LafargeHolcim Awards for Sustainable Construction, a big competition for sustainable architecture.

Niamey Cultural Center

Mariam Kamara is also working with British architect David Adjaye. They are planning a new cultural center in Niamey, the capital of Niger.

Bët-bi Museum

In May 2022, Mariam Kamara was chosen to design the new Bët-bi museum in Senegal. This project is supported by the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation. The museum is set to open in 2025.

Awards and Recognition

• 2017: LafargeHolcim Awards for Sustainable Construction:
  • Silver medal in the Global category
  • Gold medal in the Middle East Africa regional category
• 2018: Rolex Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative award. This allowed her to work with architect David Adjaye.
• 2019: Prince Claus Prize in the Netherlands.

Selected Writings

• Kamara, Mariam. Mobile Loitering: A response to public space needs in Niger's post-colonial, highly gendered urban context. Master's Thesis. 2014.

See also

In Spanish: Mariam Kamara para niños