About

Matri-Archi(tecture)© is an association that hosts a network of African and diasporic spatial practitioners dedicated to learning about our histories, realities and imaginaries through spatial expression. Matri-Archi offers a site for artistic collaboration through design, art and architectural research projects.

We - 

are a constellation of architects, artists, planners, scholars and thinkers interested in the future of the African built environment. 

are based between South Africa and Switzerland working together as collaborators across various cities in Africa and Europe. 

action our ethos through commissioned projects concerned with learning across cultural difference; foregrounding discourses, practices and voices that are overlooked by mainstream architectural education and practice. 

make projects in different mediums and scales.

find belonging in the collective as a site that gives us room to explore our practices in an intersectional way.

see the collective as a project in itself, rethinking better conditions of collaboration in our fields. We use every project to improve our values as we see the process equally as the project. We believe in healthy, fair, transparent, respectful and affirming relations.

recognize the value of collaboration across multiple worlds and worldviews, offering a site of gathering. We see our multi-locality as a mode of engaging with possibilities that embrace our cultures; cultures that design, inform and maintain spaces.

OUR HISTORY
Matri-Archi(tecture) was founded in 2017 by Khensani Jurczok-de Klerk, who seeded and developed the collective. Over the years, Matri-Archi(tecture) has had many different and inspiring spatial practitioners as contributors to the collective. Since 2023, Matri-Archi(tecture) is an association (Verein) registered in Zürich, Switzerland. 

PAST CONTRIBUTORS
Amer Chami (legal advisor 2018-2020) , Andrew Liyanage (web developer 2018), Solange Mbanefo (co-director 2018-2021), Kizzy Memani (illustrator 2018-2020), Cecile Morden (researcher 2018-2020), Ndjaka Mtsetwene (researcher 2018-2019), Lehlohlonolo Ndlovu (researcher 2019-2020), Phathu Nembilwi (illustrator 2018-2020), Giorgia Young (film maker 2017-2019).

SUPPORT US
We work on commissioned projects and otherwise rely on donations to maintain Matri-Archi(tecture). If you would like to support us by becoming a donor, please do not hesitate to make a donation at:
‍
Matri-Archi(tecture)
Lutherstrasse 30
Zürich 8004
Switzerland
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Account name: Matri-Archi(tecture)
Bank: PostFinance
Bank address: Mingerstrasse 20, Bern 3030, Switzerland
Account number: 16-96152-4
IBAN: CH45 0900 0000 1609 6152 4
BIC: POFICHBEXXX