Lesley Lokko
Awards & Honours
3
Awards Won
2
Honours
1
Rankings
5
Covers
2
Records
Lesley Lokko’s career is marked by historic firsts. She is the first Black woman to receive the RIBA Royal Gold Medal, and her curation of the Venice Architecture Biennale was the first to center Africa so comprehensively. TIME’s recognition as one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2024 underscores her impact beyond architecture. Her founding of two postgraduate institutions on two continents is a singular achievement in the field.
Awards
Honours & Distinctions
OBE (Order of the British Empire)
Awarded for services to architecture and education.
TIME 100 Most Influential People
Named one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Rankings & Lists
TIME 100 Most Influential People
Magazine Covers
TIME
2024
100 Most Influential People of 2024
The New York Times
May 2023
Profile ahead of Venice Architecture Biennale
The Guardian
March 2023
Architect Lesley Lokko: 'There is a sense in Africa that it is our time'
CNN
June 2025
Feature on the Nomadic African Studio
Architectural Review
September 2020
Letter to a Young Architect
Records & Feats
First Black woman to receive the RIBA Royal Gold Medal
In 2024, Lokko became the first Black woman in history to be awarded the Royal Gold Medal by the Royal Institute of British Architects.
First person of African descent to curate the Venice Architecture Biennale
Lokko was the first person of African descent appointed to curate the Venice Architecture Biennale, for the 18th edition in 2023.