Studio aki

Studio aki is a multidisciplinary design and research practice that is committed to creative and socially-engaged architecture. We are strive to create beautiful spaces people and communities will love. The studio straddles the boundaries of architecture, art and engineering with projects ranging from small scale objects and installations to the architectural scale. We have a strong interest in the use of narrative, images and storytelling to develop spatial propositions and use film and photography as tools to communicate ideas about architecture and cities.

We are committed to working collaboratively with clients and support our work with research into the socio-economic and cultural context of each project. Our aim is to add richness and texture to people’s environments whilst also responding to the practical demands of modern life.  

We have specialist knowledge of the field of performance and theatre and work closely with our sister organisation, Appropri8, to reactivate disused urban spaces through theatre practice and installations in public spaces and the built environment.

Sarah Akigbogun 

BSc AAdpl ARB RIBA

Studio aki was founded by Sarah Akigbogun.

Sarah studied  Architecture at the Architectural Association (AA) and Architectural Engineering at The University of Westminster.  Following this she worked for several years, firstly as an engineer and then at architecture practices including Alsop Architects and Foster and Partners on projects such as the award winning Headingley Carnigie Pavilion on, which she worked on the 3d development of the cladding.

Sarah has a passion for photography which began between degree and diploma when she began using photography as a means of reading and documenting the city. This lead her to joining Pascal’s Schoning unit at the AA, where filmmaking was employed to as a discursive tool. She is also trained as an actor having gained an MA from Drama Centre St Martins and brings knowledge of the use of theatre spaces to Studio Aki and along with her love of narrative and images, both moving and still. Whilst at the AA Sarah wrote her thesis ‘Teatime & Madness’ on the history of archtitecture and mental illness and maintains a strong interest in this area.

Sarah is committed to improving minority representation in architecture and is current Vice chair of Women In Architecture UK and founder of the XXAOC project, which seeks uncover stories of diversity in architecture.