Yasmeen Lari's Royal Gold Medal
John Hill
23. June 2023
Photo: Screenshot
The Royal Institute of British Architects has released a 17-minute film on Pakistani architect Yasmeen Lari, the 2023 recipient of the Royal Gold Medal, RIBA's highest honor, in recognition of an individual's or collective's lifetime achievement.
The RIBA announced Yasmeen Lari as this year's Royal Gold Medal winner in April, commending the way the architect “has reacted imaginatively and creatively to the physical and psychological damage that a number of major […] earthquakes, floods and conflicts have inflicted on the people of Pakistan.” Featuring an interview with Lari, the film describes the shift of her practice from commercial to humanitarian, from carbon-intensive to carbon-neutral, addressing those disasters as well as global issues. The film highlights the relevance of her work within the larger context of climate change and its impact on the architectural profession, seeing Lari as a model for other architects looking to address issues often seen as beyond the purview of architects; in effect making a strong argument for her Royal Gold Medal.