Hanif Kara

Hanif Kara is a practising Structural Engineer and the Pierce Anderson Lecturer in Creative Engineering at Harvard School of Design. He has been a Visiting Professor for Architectural Technology at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, since 2008. His work is recognized for its connection to design research and education. Since 1996, he has taught at various architectural schools across Britain, Europe, and the USA. Hanif co-tutored a Diploma Unit at the Architectural Association in London from 2000 to 2004 and served as a consultant for the Design Research Lab (DRL) for several years.

As Design Director and co-founder of AKTII (established 1996), Hanif’s design-led approach focuses on innovative forms, materials, prefabrication, sustainable construction, and complex analysis methods, leading to award-winning projects. His influence extends beyond structural engineering; he was the first engineer appointed as a commissioner for CABE (Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) in the UK.

In March 2007, he joined the Design for London Advisory Group to the Mayor of London. Hanif was part of the Master Jury for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2004 and served as a project reviewer in 2007 and 2010. He received an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2007 and was the first Engineer to judge the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2011. Hanif is also a trustee of the Architecture Foundation and an advisor to the Aga Khan Development Network.