Lecture by Mae-ling Lokko, Assistant Professor at Yale University’s School of Architecture, whose work focuses on the upcycling of agrowaste and biopolymer materials to explore themes of “generative justice” through the development of new models of distributed production and collaboration.

Mae-ling Lokko is an architectural scientist, designer and educator from Ghana and the Philippines whose work focuses on the upcycling of agrowaste and biopolymer materials.  Her research integrates a broad range of technical, environmental, social and cultural criteria that questions contemporary material-value systems, codevelops business models for upcycling between the Global North and South and evolves material design criteria to meet generative justice goals. Lokko is an Assistant Professor at Yale University’s School of Architecture and the founder of Willow Technologies, Ltd. focused on the research, design and development of biobased building materials.  Lokko was the Director for the Building Sciences Program and Assistant Professor at Rensselaer’s School of Architecture from 2018-2021. Lokko’s recent projects have been exhibited at the Museum of the Future, Dubai; Z33 House for Contemporary Art, Design and Architecture, Belgium; Sonsbeek Biennial, Netherlands; Somerset House and Triennale Milano, Italy.  Lokko holds a Ph.D. and Masters of Science in Architectural Science from the Center of Architecture, Science and Ecology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and B.A from Tufts University.

Image: Mae-ling Lokko, Grounds for Return. Photo: Selma Gurbuz.