It's Not About The Big Ideas, But About What's The Next Right Thing To Do – Architect Zalmaï Levrat Sherzad

Portrait of Zalmaï Levrat Sherzad at the studio, Courtesy of the Architect

“I think an architect is someone who has the tools to translate ideas and conversation into a spatial language and propose alternatives.” – Zalmaï Levrat

Oluwapelumi Shemuel of Craat8ev Buxc interviewed architect Zalmai Levrat Sherzad at the fourth iteration of the Lagos Biennial, Refuge, which took place at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Onikan Lagos from February 3–10, 2024. The conversation centered on his growth and trajectory as an architect. He gave us an overview of his worldview and architectural work.

Levrat is a Swiss Afghan architect and builder currently working with local architecture in Lausanne, Switzerland, and his personal practice at Studiolowa. Local Architecture is a company that specializes in residential, religious, and educational architecture.

Except:

Your decision to pursue architecture has a reason; provide an example from your own life that served as inspiration.

I think ; it is a practice in which you can be naive, trust your imagination, and develop ideas that can make a physical impact on the world around you. Architecture is also something that can be really simple; I think of making something like a sand castle or a drawing of a place or space. I think everyone is an architect, then it's all about having an opportunity to pursue and develop your imagination. My father is an architect, so I had the reference or opportunity to say, you know, it's not just my imagination, but it could be a direction for me in my life.

Muse National d’Art et d’Artisanat de Conakry, Proposal In Collaboration with Lounsany Soumah and Maksymilian Mamak, circa: 2022, Courtesy Of the architect  

One thing I like about what you said now is how everyone is an architect, just start small, like when we were toddlers building sand castles. So, how do you transform your idea into a master piece? Is there something you consider while planning a building?

I don't know about Masterpiece, but the moment your idea becomes a plan, you take into account a social contract—one that takes into account who, where, when, how, and why you are doing what you are doing. I think the more responsibility and respect an architectural project has regarding who it’s for, where it is, and the other aspects of this social contract, the closer you get to a "masterpiece,” but to be honest, I feel like masterpiece is a weird word to describe, I guess, successful architecture.

On a more day-to-day scale, I'm a people person, so if I'm able to feel like something is being understood by someone else, it helps me think about what's the next step to go forward. But I don't know; there's not a clear answer. We all have different processes and things like that. But for me, what's helpful to think about is that it's not about the big ideas; it's about what's the next right thing to do to make this evolve the right way. You know what I mean.

I get you, but I want to narrow it down a bit. Like some of the projects you've done and some of the successes you've recorded as an architect, how did you begin? Where did the idea originate from?

Yes, I think it goes back to being pragmatic first. First things first, an architect rarely has the means or the opportunity to do things that are strictly personal; I think an architect is someone who has the tools to translate ideas and conversation into a spatial language and propose alternatives.” These alternatives take into account the social contract and certain architectural conditions, such as the use of materials, the relationship to light, the environment, and things like that.

Collaboration with Village Pilote, Jean Barreto, Senegal circa: 2023, Photo by: Joshua Hercules

According to César Pelli, it is a mistake for American architects to travel to other nations and design American buildings. What are your thoughts on his remarks?

I think he's right. I think architecture is the strongest physical form of colonialism in the world. Architecture is what you see before and after the war. The winner gets to decide what comes after. Architecture is dark; there's a lot of things architecture is responsible for, such as underpaid labor, money laundering, exploitation of natural resources, and a lot of other negative things.

You have to take into account the impact the United States has had on foreign territories historically. Its impact is one of exploitation, military occupation, and political destabilization. So beyond architecture, America’s impact beyond its borders is more often than not one that is negative and should be questioned.

It goes back to the importance of a social contract and not simply making something cool. Architecture costs a lot of money, so having transparency and knowledge of where and what this funding represents is important.

I think that quote from Pelli is absolutely right because you need to be careful when you carry out your work in other parts of the world as an architect. I often say that you have to learn before you can contribute. It has to be a dialogue that is respectful in both ways.

For example, if someone told me there is an opportunity for you in Lagos, I would be like, Yes! let's make something like that happen, but at the same time, you have to think about the client first. Why would they be asking someone who is not from there to be the architect? What I’m bringing to the table as opposed to someone local.

I would definitely be down to do something if I am given the opportunity, but you have to think about why I would be brought there, and if I am brought, I must figure out how to go about it the right way. Like, how do I collaborate with the right people on the project and humbly learn as well?

Does the desire to construct a one-of-a-kind building mean that you are constantly raising the bar for yourself?

Yes, everyday! Every day is both a blessing and a battle. I keep trying to evolve and learn; whether it’s my work, my health, or my relationship with people, improving is essential. I would even say it is not about raising the bar for myself; I think it is a responsibility and a respect for the opportunity given to us to improve.

ARX Portugal: Santos Dumont, Lisbon Portugal, circa: 2021 (left) Studio 4.1: Redhook Music School, Cooper Union Studio Work, circa 2019 (right)

So, what fascinating and inventive ideas do you hope to achieve as technology advances in your field?

You see, I’m going to give you a specific answer because I hope to work in Afghanistan in the near future. Not necessarily to come up with a new technology, but to try to do something that’s working with the natural resources and existing technologies that are accessible. I have been inspired by Tetsu Nakamura’s work with the Marwarid Canal in Afghanistan. His work acts as a case study of a successful form of foreign aid. I highly recommend watching a short documentary on the Marwarid Canal; it’s on YouTube and it’s called Water, not Weapons.

We are all aware of what’s happening in Afghanistan currently with all the broken architectural structures.

Yes, there has been ongoing conflict in the region, as they’re taken advantage of and destroyed by the other major countries as a proxy political conflict. As a result, the country is in ruin, both physically and financially. I hope to devote time and work in this geography and see if I can make a beneficial contribution.

That’s refreshing to hear, I came across a documentary in which the majority of what was shown, particularly the physical structures and buildings in Afghanistan, all destroyed as a result of bombing activities. Now that you intend to return to your maternal homeland in the near future, to influence the structural landscape in some way. Like the case in Dubai, where deserts were terraformed into massive skyscrapers. Therefore, given Afghanistan’s rich history, what ways will you help restore the traditional structures?

This is a difficult question, but to the best of my knowledge, it is best to try not to have a shortcut because we see what's happening in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This is, like I said before, great; they are developed, but where does their money come from? I think it’s hard for an 80 plus story glass building to be ethical.

The most inspiring idea to me is to work with existing organizations that are going about their practice in the right way and to get involved, contribute, and learn.

My mother, Zolaykha Sherzad, currently has a foundation in Kabul called Zarif, which creates safe working spaces for women where they work with textiles, mixing traditional techniques with contemporary art and fashion. I work a lot with Zarif and have a lot of admiration for that project.

How would you define your aesthetic? austere, minimalistic, chiseled, serene, or earthy. How so? How do you bring this expressive quality to your minimalist work?

I'm not sure. I find it easier to identify what I don’t like than what I do like at the moment. I have a particular admiration for and attraction to certain materials and geometries, such as wood, compressed earth, and vaulted spaces. I enjoy when architecture has a strong reference to place, whether it be the use of local materials or the relationship to the site's topography. There are some aesthetics that I like in a bit of a childish way. I have some favorite colors: red, yellow, and blue. I haven’t explored the logic behind these colors and haven’t been able to incorporate them into any built structures, but they are very present in my drawings and sketches. Lastly, I am a big admirer of nature. I really like birds. I’m not sure if they play a role in my aesthetics, but you can often find them in my sketches.

You studied architecture for a while, correct?

Yes, for six years at The Cooper Union in New York, and I did an 8 month internship in Lisbon at ARX Portugal, a really interesting firm.

4th Lagos Biennial, Tas, Collaboration with Deniz Bedir, circa: 2024, Photo by: Deniz Bedir

You were part of a group that displayed Deniz Bedir's project, Ta§lik Kahvesi. What role did you play in the featured project at the Lagos Biennial 2024?

So, me and Deniz have some good friends in common and met when I was living in Marseille. We got close and talked about trying to develop our practice with some collaborative projects, and we continued sharing ideas back and forth. He was also responsible for introducing me to a residency program I did two years ago in Versailles, so a special shout to him for that. I don’t think I had a proper time to thank him for putting me on.

In mid-2023, he talked about the possibilities of working on the Lagos Biennial, and he mentioned that he might need some help setting up the structures, architectural drawings and placement, and geometry of things.

Like I said before, he had the idea, and I said, How can I help facilitate it and make it happen? Once we had a clear idea of how we wanted to create the piece, it became about the hustle and making it happen hands-on. So on the ground, my role was to build the space and help coordinate with Deniz and others involved, as we had to solve problems using other materials than what was originally planned.

Which Nigerian architect's work particularly inspires you? Do you see yourself working with a Nigerian architect in the future?

I know a couple of more contemporary architects, but to be completely honest, what’s going on in Tafawa Balewa Square at the Lagos Biennial is incredible. Spending time in this square and learning about its history has been a great architectural experience. The Nigerian architect I’m most familiar with is Kunlé Adeyemi, and I admire his work. I would love to learn more about Nigerian architects, contemporary and past. I got to meet a few interesting architects, specifically my good friend Olasunkanmi Oluwatosin (Santos), who showed me around and taught me a lot. Big thanks to him.

You know a couple of them, do you see yourself working together on a project sometime in the future?

Yes, of course. The first thing I’d like to say is that everyone here is extremely kind and determined. I see parallels with New York - everyone is hustling; there is a fight to be great and to do things. And I like being around people with big dreams and doing things with ambitious people who share similar interests. Hopefully, the opportunity will present itself in the future.

You've traveled in and out of Africa frequently. Talk about the project in Abidjan.

Sadly, I didn’t get to visit there, but I had worked on a project in Senegal, and my office, Local Architecture, is now currently working on and completing the Swiss Embassy in Abidjan, which is a lovely project. The embassy is built with compressed earth bricks and cast concrete.

Is there anything else you'd like to share with us, especially now that you're leaving for France?

I want to give a big shout-out to all the staff that were working at the Lagos Biennial. Mostly all the people who put their time and kindness into making me feel welcome, and a big shoutout to everyone who didn’t get a shoutout and was behind the scenes humbly working harder than the rest.

And special thanks to you, Oluwapelumi Shemuel, with whom I have shared many inspiring conversations. Thank you for your time and kindness. Much love to Nigeria.

Abidjan Embassy Housing, Facility, Cote d’ Ivoire, LOCALARCHITECTURE, circa: 2023 - 2024, Photo by: Antoine Robert Grandpierre

SHORT PROFILE

Name: Zalmaï Levrat Sherzad

DOB: November 28, 1997

Place of birth: Geneva, Switzerland

Occupation: Architect