atelier masōmī’s pavillion for the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennial took visitors through the work of Niger’s Tuareg leather and bronze artisans. The site-specific installation was inspired by the year’s theme:

How Will We Live Together?

The installion would immerse visitors The Artisan’s Valley project, A market designed to bridge historical wealth gap which physically manifested as a valley cutting through the city. 

The Gounti Yenna Valley has long divided Niger’s capital city of Niamey into two. In the 1800s, this division was between the French colonisers and local citizens. Today, the valley divides the city across the wealth gap.

Working under principal architect and designer Mariam Issoufou Kamara, I assisted in developing the concept and was responsible for taking the concept into a workable design. I managed the production of the artisan made tiles parts in Niger and shipping to Venice, Italy during the Covid-19 pandemic. The next challenge was navigating a language barrier and negotiating and securing bids from Italian contractors and finally delivering the construcion of the pavillion.

project link:

https://www.labiennale.org/en/architecture/2021/emerging-communities/atelier-mas%C5%8Dm%C4%AB