'Visionary' architect Ola chosen for national panel

Architecture graduate Olabiyi Olakitan wants to be a visionary , as well as architect, which is one and the same thing, she says.

Growing up in Nigeria – where 15 million homes are desperately needed - shaped Ola's awareness of how architecture impacts communities and made her passionate about housing, climate and sustainability.

Little wonder the LJMU Class of 2026 graduate is one of the new Next Gen Ambassadors for Architects Declare, the collective of practices across the UK joining forces to rethink urban design in the face of the climate crisis.

“We stand alongside hundreds of practices who share the same vision: to transform the way we design and build for the benefit of people and the planet,” says Ola.

Long-term visions

Launched in 2019, Architects Declare commits to working towards net zero carbon, promoting regenerative design, minimising waste, and collaborating across the industry to drive change.

It’s about looking beyond the “now” of a project and making choices that also make sense for the next 10, 20, or even 50 years.

For Ola, and the seven other student ambassadors chosen from leading schools of architecture, the change is crucial if the profession is to progress: “As an industry, we have a responsibility to consider how we design, what materials we use, how we respond to the climate and, ultimately, who benefits from the spaces we create, says the 21-year-old. So why have a panel of younger voices?

“It is important that students and emerging practitioners are included in these conversations. We are entering an industry that is already facing significant environmental and social challenges, and we should have the opportunity to contribute to how it responds to them,” says Ola.

'In awe'

Inspired by following her property developer father around building sites as a child, Ola recalls watching their transformation from messy, unfinished spaces into homes for families. “Seeing that vision come to life months later left me in awe. I knew I wanted to be a visionary, and to me, that is what an architect is.

“Architects help shape the places where memories are made, and I love that. I want to be part of creating those spaces.”

Through her role as a Next-Gen Ambassador, Ola now hopes to influence professionals, particularly ones her age, to challenge conventional ways of working and move towards architecture that is more environmentally responsible, socially conscious and inclusive.

Jonathan Orlek, senior lecturer in architecture at LJMU, said: “Ola’s appointment as an Architects Declare Next Gen Ambassador is a brilliant example of how architecture graduates can act in response to climate breakdown and uncertain collective futures.

I look forward to discussing with her how the aims of Architects Declare can be best supported within BA Architecture at LJMU, by advancing a positive, careful, and critically engaged architectural education for future generations.”

Image: The eight 2026 New-Gen Ambassadors for Architects Declare. Ola is pictured top right.