Mae-ling Lokko is an architectural scientist and building technology researcher from Ghana and the Philippines whose work centers on the upcycling of agrowaste and biopolymer materials into high performance clean building material systems for humidity control, indoor air quality remediation and water quality control applications. Lokko holds a Ph.D. and Masters of Science in Architectural Science from the Center from Architecture, Science and Ecology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and B.A from Tufts University. Her research integrates a broad range of technical, environmental, social and cultural criteria that questions contemporary material-value systems, codevelops business models for upcycling between the Global North and South and evolves material life cycle design criteria to meet generative justice criteria. Lokko teaches on seminars on energy and ecology in relation to the built environment, upcycling and ecoeffective material life cycle design both at the SoA and at the Center for Architecture, Science and Ecology in Industry City, Brooklyn.

Lokko is the founder of Willow Technologies, Ltd. based in Accra, Ghana that upcycles agrowaste into affordable biobased building materials and for water quality treatment applications. Her work was nominated for the Visible Award 2019, Royal Academy Dorfman Award 2020 and she was a finalist for the Hublot Design Prize 2019. Lokko’s recent projects has exhibited globally at the Serpentine Gallery, London (2019), Radialsystem, Berlin (2019), Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (2019), Luma Foundation, Arles (2019), 4th Istanbul Design Biennial (2018), Rhode Island School of Design (2018), Royal Institute of British Architects-North as part of the Liverpool Biennial 2018 and at the Mmofra Foundation, Accra (2017-present). In 2020, her work will be exhibited at Somerset House, London and as part of Sonsbeek Biennial 2020, Netherlands.

Website: www.maelinglokko.com