KARACHI: Renowned Pakistani architect and conservationist Yasmeen Lari has declined the prestigious Wolf Prize in architecture (2025), citing Israel’s ongoing atrocities in Gaza.
The Wolf Prize, established in Israel in 1978, is awarded annually to scientists and artists for their contributions to humanity and the arts. According to its official description, the award seeks to promote “friendly relations among peoples.” However, Lari said she could not, in good conscience, accept the prize amid Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Speaking to Dawn, Lari said, “I had to do it. I had no choice. I had to. What can we do otherwise? Our hands are tied. We are sitting here… far, far away from them [the people in the Middle East]. Therefore, I think one must tell where one stands.”
Lari is Pakistan’s first woman architect, and her decades-long career has combined landmark architectural achievements with humanitarian efforts.
In recent years, she has focused on designing low-cost, sustainable housing for marginalized communities. Following the devastating floods in Sindh, she spearheaded the construction of thousands of one-room homes for displaced families.
“Main ghareebon ky liye kaam karti hoon [I work for the underprivileged],” Lari said.
She has received numerous accolades for her contributions to architecture and social impact, including the 2023 Royal Gold Medal for Architecture—one of the highest honors in the field—awarded by the British monarch on the recommendation of the Royal Institute of British Architects. In 2020, she was also awarded the Jane Drew Prize.
Lari’s conservation work in Karachi is equally notable. She has been instrumental in preserving the city’s architectural heritage, bringing attention to Karachi’s colonial-era structures and advocating for their restoration.
Her book The Dual City: Karachi During the Raj (Oxford University Press, 1996) is considered a seminal study on Karachi’s colonial history, architecture, and urban development.
