What histories lie beneath the ground we build on? Explore extraction, collective memory and architecture through drawing and research.

How can architecture reveal the hidden histories of extraction, displacement and transformation embedded in the ground?

Ground is more than the physical surface upon which buildings stand. It holds histories, materials and relationships that connect places to wider social and ecological systems.

Join Angela Ka Ki Lee of HAAU and Sara Ibrahim and Suzan Ibrahim of SUSA for a discussion exploring how architectural research, drawing and material experimentation can uncover these often overlooked connections.

Through their respective practices, the speakers will consider:

Ground as a dynamic and contested territory rather than a stable foundation.

How extraction and displacement shape landscapes and collective memory.

The role of drawing and diagrams in making hidden relationships visible.

How architecture can engage with histories that extend beyond the boundaries of a site.

The session invites audiences to reconsider architecture's relationship with place, and how the built environment might respond to uncertain histories and futures.

Chaired by Kay Sedki of The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL.

About the speakers

Angela Ka Ki Lee is the founder of HAAU, an architecture studio working across design, research and exhibition-making. Her work explores extraction, territory, collective memory and environmental transformation.

Sara Ibrahim is an architect, researcher and co-founder of SUSA. Her work explores cultural histories, collective memory and architecture through research, design and curatorial practice.

Suzan Ibrahim is an architect, educator and co-founder of SUSA, whose work focuses on material experimentation, advanced fabrication and spatial design.

Kay Sedki, chair, is a Lecturer at The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, researching the intersections of architecture, art, literature and philosophy.

About the Building Centre’s Lunchtime Talks

Our Lunchtime Talks bring together people working across architecture, design and the built environment to share ideas, explore new approaches and encourage discussion.

Free to attend. Booking recommended.

Have an idea for a talk?

We're always looking for fresh ideas and perspectives. If you'd like to propose a talk, please get in touch.

Description supplied by the event organiser.