Ali Mangera, MEng Dip Arch RIBA, Practice Director and Principal
Part of the Spring 2026 MIT Architecture Lecture Series.
Presented with The Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Architecture has many perspectives. As we age, our cognitive experience of the city changes as we adapt to our newfound circumstances. Children see the world in different colours and at different scales, the elderly and those with mobility impairment define their engagement through parameters of accessibility.
Deeply rooted within MYAA’s practice ethos, we observe the world through a different lens; where we are both an insider and outsider, where we are ‘L'Étranger as Campus might say. As children of a diaspora, we explore architecture that comments on the status quo and enabling communities to reconnect through primeval issues of culture and identity.
Through a careful and considered approach, we seek to harness the power and possibilities architecture has to offer. In doing so, we address the many topical issues of our day; translocation, environment and collective engagement.
Ali’s talk at MIT will illustrate some of MYAA’s many projects, from Regenerative Urbanism in London, to Ecological master planning in the Middle East though to Academic buildings at different scales in recognition that architecture can lead to profoundly optimistic outcomes
Biography
Ali Mangera is an Architect-Engineer and co-founder of Mangera Yvars Architects (MYAA) with Ada Yvars Bravo. Ali studied Architectural Engineering at Leeds University, UK and Pennsylvania State University, USA completing a Master’s in advanced structural-environmental design before studying Architecture at the Architectural Association London. He worked at Skidmore Owings & Merril, Chicago and Zaha Hadid Architects, London before establishing MYAA. With offices in London, Barcelona and Riyadh, MYAA works on award-winning projects globally. Recent works include The Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies, UNESCO Sagrada Familia, as well as Museums and Cultural buildings.
As an Architect and Engineer and is uniquely placed to understand the intricacies of collaborative design. Ali has helped shape MYAA’s focus on technology, the use of data, digital fabrication, and complex geometry through to sustainable earth construction and zero energy cities. Born in London, Ali’s family moved to the UK from South Africa during the apartheid era which made Ali acutely aware of contextual underpinnings, in particular, culture and identity which are embedded in MYAA’s work.
This lecture will be held in person in Long Lounge, 7-429 and will be streamed on YouTube.
Lectures are free and open to the public. Lectures will be held Thursdays at 6 PM ET in 7-429 (Long Lounge) and streamed online unless otherwise noted.
