Francis Kéré
Bluhm-Kaul Keynote

The work of Pritzker Prize–winning architect Francis Kéré demonstrates that thoughtful design is rooted in community engagement and social responsibility. Kéré’s keynote presentation will explore the concept of togetherness, highlighting the social and cultural importance of public spaces in fostering connection and shared experiences, as well as the collaborative processes essential to their creation. Drawing on his wide-ranging projects—from schools and cultural centers to civic buildings—he will reflect on architecture’s essential role in shaping inclusive, collaborative environments that support and strengthen community life.

Francis Kéré will be introduced by Hans Ulrich Obrist, artistic director of London’s Serpentine, whose multi-decade project of recording interviews with the world’s most significant artists, architects, philosophers, and novelists is the source of inspiration for this lecture series.

Francis Kéré is a Burkinabè-German architect recognized for his communal approach to design, innovative construction techniques, and commitment to sustainable materials. He was awarded the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2004 for his first architectural project, the Gando Primary School in Burkina Faso, which was realized entirely using locally sourced materials and in collaboration with the residents of the Gando community—defining aspects of Kéré’s architectural practice. In 2005, he founded Kéré Architecture based on a design philosophy that emphasizes sustainability, economic solutions, and social responsibility. Among the Berlin-based office’s educational, cultural, and public projects are several notable works, including the Benin National Assembly (under construction), the Goethe-Institut in Dakar (under construction), the Ingeborg Pohl Kinderoase in Munich (under construction), the Léo Surgical Clinic & Health Centre (2014), the Lycée Schorge Secondary School (2016), the Serpentine Pavilion (2017), Xylem (2019), a gathering pavilion for the Tippet Rise Art Center, the Startup Lions Campus (2021), the Kamwokya Community Centre (2022), and the Thomas Sankara Mausoleum (2025). Kéré’s architecture often incorporates traditional building techniques, locally sourced materials, and passive cooling systems in order to respond to both climate and context. Kéré is the 2022 Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, making him the first African architect to receive the award.

Hans Ulrich Obrist is artistic director of Serpentine in London, and senior advisor at LUMA Arles. Prior to this, he was the curator of the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. Since his first show World Soup (The Kitchen Show) in 1991, he has curated more than 350 exhibitions. Obrist received the CCS Bard Award for Curatorial Excellence in 2011, the International Folkwang Prize in 2015, and the Prix François Morellet in 2025.

The Bluhm-Kaul Keynotes are made possible through a major gift from Barbara Bluhm-Kaul and Don Kaul.