Our identities have become more complex and cities are often places where these identities come into contact with each other. Cities are now rapidly gentrifying and at the same time becoming more universal in their architecture. It is critical for architects to apply the principles of intersectional feminism in order to take into account the realities and complexities of everyday life.
Afaina de Jong is an Amsterdam based architect. With her studio AFARAI (2005), she aims to cross the boundaries of the traditional architecture practice by dealing with the existing city with an intersectional and interdisciplinary approach, integrating theory and research with design. As a studio AFARAI considers itself a feminist practice that encourages change on social and spatial issues and that accommodate differences. Her work is deeply connected to represent people and cultural movements that are not traditionally represented in architectural form. By using form languages, colors, patterns and narratives that are other, she works towards a more inclusive experience of space. Afaina has been an active educator for years amongst others at the Faculty of Architecture at TU Delft, The Sandberg Institute, and ARTEZ and has been a guest lecturer at Columbia University GSAPP in New York, KTH in Stockholm and the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx