Sumayya Vally

Sumayya Vally is the founder and Principal of Counterspace, a practice lauded for its innovative design, research, and educational pursuits. Counterspace is dedicated to articulating expressions of hybrid identities and spaces, with a focus on African and Islamic conditions that are both indigenous and diasporic. The practice is particularly interested in the complex relations between places and territories. Vally’s unique design methodology is forensic in nature, leveraging the oral, aural, ritual, and often overlooked elements as fertile grounds for historical exploration and creative output.

In 2019, Vally was selected to design the 20th Serpentine Pavilion in London, making her the youngest architect to work on the commission. The pavilion opened to critical acclaim as being one of the most radical pavilion designs to shape the commission. Her collaboration with the Serpentine extended to the creation of the Support Structures for Support Structures fellowship programme, aimed at empowering artists and collectives working at the intersection of the arts, social justice, and ecology.

In 2022, Vally was recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader and was named a TIME100 Next list honoree, named as a figure poised to transform the future of architectural practice and theory. She has expanded her influence by joining the Board of Directors at the World Monuments Fund and actively participating on numerous boards that share her passion for dynamic forms of archive, embodied heritages and the development of innovative knowledge networks within the arts. The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada acknowledged her contributions to architecture and society by awarding her the 2023 Honorary Fellowship. Further accolades include being named the Emerging Architect of the Year at the 2023 Dezeen Awards and being listed among the Financial Times Readers’ Women of the Year 2023.

In addition to her architectural achievements, Vally’s role as the Artistic Director of the inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale (January - May 2023) in Jeddah marked a pivotal moment in reimagining the definition of Islamic art. Her innovative approach, rooted in decolonial principles and grounded in the lived experiences of the Islamic world, has earned widespread acclaim and praise for its bold reinterpretation of traditional paradigms.

Parallel to her practice, Vally has made significant contributions to academic discourse. From 2015 to 2021, she directed the master’s studio, Unit 12, at the Graduate School of Architecture, University of Johannesburg, an initiative by Professor Lesley Lokko; aimed at devising a curriculum catered to the African continent. Her extensive teaching and lecturing engagements include serving as the Pelli Distinguished Visiting Professor at the School of Architecture, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; leading a new master’s program, Hijra, at the Royal College of Art; and holding the position of Honorary Professor of Practice at The Bartlett School of Architecture, and remains dedicated to transforming architectural education globally.