
Today, the Royal Institute of British Architects named the architect Yasmeen Lari the winner of its 2023 Royal Gold Medal for Architecture in recognition of her "significant influence on the advancement of architecture," according to a RIBA press release. Honoring Lari's legacy of "immeasurable influence on the trajectory of the architecture and humanitarian work," among other achievements, RIBA will formally present Lari with the medal—which is the first of its kind to be approved by King Charles III—in June.
"I was so surprised to hear this news and of course totally delighted!" said Lari in the same release. "I never imagined that as I focus on my country's most marginalized people—venturing down uncharted vagabond pathways—I could still be considered for the highest of honors in the architectural profession."


Born in 1941 in Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan, Lari moved to London with her family when she was 15 years old. Lari attended finishing school and studied art before enrolling at School of Architecture, Oxford Brookes University (formerly Oxford Polytechnic) where she graduated in 1964. At age 23, Lari returned to Pakistan with her husband, Suhail Zaheer Lari, and launched her eponymous firm, Lari Associates in Karachi, becoming Pakistan's first female architect. Over the decades, Lari Associates completed projects for a range of institutional clients such as the Taj Mahal Hotel in Karachi and the Pakistan State Oil House headquarters. Lari also pioneered sustainable development, including the Angoori Bag housing in Lahore and her design for the self-build Chulah Cookstove, which offers a greener alternative to the traditional Pakistani stove.


Lari officially retired from practice in 2000. However, in the decades since, she and her husband co-founded the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan, which received a 2002 United Nations Recognition Award. With a focus on encouraging sustainable construction, the Heritage Foundation has spurred the creation of 50,000 shelters in areas prone to natural disasters and in conflict zones. According to RIBA, the work epitomizes Lari's mantra: "low cost, zero carbon, zero waste."
Throughout her career, Lari has received accolades including the Jane Drew Prize in 2020; the World Habitat Award in 2018; and the Islamic Development Bank Prize for Women’s Empowerment in 2013. In 2023, Lari became the first female winner of the Laurea Magistrale ad honorem in Architecture from the Politecnico di Milano in 158 years.