Kunlé Adeyemi is a Nigerian architect, designer and development researcher whose works are internationally recognized for originality and innovation. He is the founder and principal of NLÉ – an architecture, design and urbanism practice, based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Founded in 2010, NLÉ was designed to innovate cities and communities.
Adeyemi’s resume is chalked with notable works include ‘Makoko Floating School’, a groundbreaking, prototype floating structure once located in the lagoon heart of Lagos, Nigeria. Makoko Floating School has since evolved into ‘Makoko Floating System (MFSTM)’ – a simple, prefabricated, building solution for developments on water. This idealistic construction has now been deployed in five countries across three continents.
This acclaimed project is part of NLÉ’s extensive body of work – the ‘African Water Cities’ – which explores the intersections of rapid urbanization and climate change. In 2016 NLÉ was awarded the Silver Lion Prize for its second iteration of Makoko Floating School (MFS II – Waterfront Atlas) at the 15th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. Other NLÉ projects include A Prelude to The Shed in New York, USA, the Black Rhino Academy in Karatu, Tanzania and the Serpentine Summer House at the Royal Kensington Gardens in London, UK. Adeyemi’s NLÉ recently designed the Mansa Floating Hub in Cape Verde.
Before founding NLÉ, Adeyemi had a working relationship with Rem Koolhaas for about 9 years at the world renowned Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), where he led the design and development of significant projects such as the Shenzhen Stock Exchange tower in China, the Qatar National Library and Qatar Foundation Headquarters in Doha, Samsung Museum of Art and the Prada Transformer in Seoul.
Alongside his professional practice with multiple prestigious awards, Adeyemi is an international speaker and thought leader. He is one of UNDP’s African Influencers for Development (AI4D) Supergroup. He served as juror and nominator for distinguishing many industry talents including the RIBA international Prize, the AIA awards, Venice Biennale jury, and the Rolex Mentor and Protegé program. Adeyemi holds an honorary doctorate degree in Architecture from Hasselt University, Belgium and a certificate in Real Estate Economics and Finance from the London School of Economics (LSE).
The 45-year-old veteran architect is an Adjunct Visiting Professor at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. In addition, he has held several academic positions including the 2017 Aga Khan Design Critic in Architecture at Harvard University Graduate School of Design, an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, Columbia University, New York, a visiting critic at Cornell University and Visiting Lecturer at Princeton University – where he leads academic research in architecture and urban solutions that are closer to societal, environmental and economic needs.
