In Madam Architect, Mariam Issoufou talks about the firm’s global presence, authentic modernity, and meaningful work

Mariam Issoufou was interviewed by Madam Architect editor-in-chief, Julia Gamboling

In a recent wide-ranging interview, Mariam Issoufou talked about the firm’s growth over the past decade, the move to New York, upcoming projects and how different working in the US, West Africa and Switzerland was:

“In America, I learned immediately that being on a construction site is all about seeing where the potential for litigation may come from. The muscle that I’ve learned to flex in New York is about protecting my work. The construction process is also very particular, as there are so many experts that are involved.

If I compare this to working in Switzerland for instance, there I would say things are very straightforward but also inflexible. In a way, in New York, even though there is a lot to navigate, you can massage things. You can’t do that in Switzerland – things are set, and the process is very much about demonstrating that you understand every requirement. When I work in Switzerland, before I even start designing, I make sure that everything that is being asked for is taken care of. This means though, that there are no surprises, and the RFPs in Switzerland are highly thought through.

And then in the African continent, there are very few rules. The building code may be half a page, or one page maximum. This means you have a lot of freedom but at the same time, a huge amount of responsibility. The checks and balances are not as strong, so you have to be very self-disciplined in what you design and how you go about it.”

Please click here to read the rest of the interview.