Main image via RIBA + SCMP
Malaysians have another reason to be proud and it’s all thanks to Siri Nurafaf Ismail, the first Asian woman to win a prestigious international architecture award!
Image via SCMP
The University Malaya student beat out thousands of other participants to win the coveted Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Norman Foster Travelling Scholarship; with her “Architectural of Humility” proposal.
Siti Nurafaf’s proposal explores the role of the architect within community architecture in natural disaster zones.
Under the award, the 21-year-old will travel to these cities that have been affected by natural disasters while shadowing Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect, Shigeru Ban, and Pakistan’s Yasmeen Lari, on disaster relief projects.
Image via SCMP
The UM student’s project examines three cities that have been affected by natural disaster - Lombok, Hokkaido and Karachi. Siti Nurafaf has already completed the first phase of her research in Lombok.
With the assistance of the scholarship, Siti Nurafaf will be able to travel to Hokkaido and Karachi, two cities that have been devastated by recent earthquakes; where she will work with local volunteer organisations as she explores each community’s rebuilding process first-hand and examine how the ‘architect’ role fits into that experience.
Image via SCMP
Now in its 13th year, the £7,000 (RM37k) scholarship supports a student of architecture with a period of international research on a topic related to the sustainable survival of cities and towns.
We’re super proud of Siti Nurafaf’s achievements and we can’t wait to see her continue to grow while helping those in need.
Info via SCMP
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