Mariam Kamara

Mariam Kamara, an architect and 2019 Prince Claus Laureate from Niger, studied architecture at the University of Washington. In 2014, Kamara founded atelier masomi, an architecture and research practice tackling public, cultural, residential, commercial and urban design projects. Kamara believes that architects have an important role to play in creating spaces that elevate, dignify, and provide people with a better quality of life. 

A collaborative project, Hikma Religious and Secular Complex, won the 2017 Gold LafargeHolcim Award for Africa and the Middle East, and 2018 Silver Global LafargeHolcim Award for Sustainable Architecture. An upcoming project, the Niamey Cultural Centre, is designed by Kamara under the mentorship of Sir David Adjaye as part of the Rolex Mentor and Protégé programme. 2019 saw Kamara named as a Laureate of the Prince Claus Award and a 2019 Royal Academy of Arts Dorfman Awards finalist. 2020 saw The New York Times name her as one of 15 Creative Women of Our Time. Atelier masomi made its debut on the 2021 AD100 list.