Black Creative Builders: Spatial Justice Now
I am a Berlin-based architectural designer with a Master of Science in the field of Architecture and over ten years of international experience in design, planning and humanitarian work across Germany, Switzerland, the US and several countries in the Global South. My expertise lies in emergency architecture, informal settlement planning and the design of healthcare and educational facilities in under-resourced areas.
I am the founder of Black Creative Builders, a Europe-wide network that connects and empowers Black professionals in the building industry and the initiator of "Architektinnen* in Berlin" (Female* architect in Berlin), which advocates for womxn in architecture. I also work as a freelance designer, lecturer and consultant, focusing on equity-driven architecture and DEI strategies for institutions, offices and universities.
My design practice Alidé Studio combines design, activism and pedagogy to create inclusive, community-centered and environmentally responsible spatial futures. My work is deeply rooted in marginal perspectives and shaped by values of care, openness and collective learning.
Black Creative Builders (BCB) is a network I founded in 2020 to address the structural underrepresentation of Black professionals in the building industry across Europe. Based in Berlin and active transnationally, BCB connects young Black spatial practitioners from the African diaspora working in architecture, urban planning, interior design, construction and related fields. We aim to increase visibility, create safe spaces and foster collaboration through a clear commitment to anti-racism, equity and environmental justice.
BCB emerged from a shared frustration: many of us worked in isolation, navigating the industry without spaces that acknowledged our experiences. Since then, BCB has filled a critical gap by hosting workshops, talks and design collaborations in partnership with architecture firms, NGOs and institutions to promote systemic change in spatial practice.
Notable projects include design consulting for a BIPOC community center in Berlin, a decolonial spatial project in Cologne and a collaborative arrival hall for refugees in Berlin. These projects combine creative design with social impact, centering community voices and intersectional justice. BCB also leads DEI-focused lectures and workshops for architecture offices and institutions.
Through the LINA platform, I propose to build on this work in five key areas:
1. Youth workshops on representation in design, co-hosted with LINA partners.
2. A collaborative toolkit, “How to Build Black Spaces,” sharing inclusive, anti-racist methods.
3. Visibility initiatives featuring BCB members to challenge dominant narratives.
4. Cross-border design projects with LINA members.
5. Infrastructure-building, including ethical database development and strategic partnerships.
BCB operates at the intersection of spatial justice, decolonial design and community empowerment. With LINA, I aim to scale this work, grow alliances and help reshape the conditions under which architecture is taught, practiced and imagined.