Jola Idowu

Jola Idowu is an architect and urban planner from Chicago, Illinois. She holds dual Master’s degrees in Architecture and City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor’s degree with honors in Art History and Sociology from the University of Chicago. Jola’s professional journey is marked by a deep commitment to architectural research and cultural preservation. She served as the editor for Thresholds 50, an academic journal published by MIT Press, and her experience spans notable firms and organizations such as A3: Archives of African Architecture, Taller Gabriela Carrillo, and The Graham Foundation.

Recently, Jola completed a Fulbright fellowship in Senegal, focusing on coastal resilience policy, and participated in the Porto Design Biennale. Her current work delves into the spatial preservation of coastal narratives and materials within the Black Atlantic. By exploring the intersections of architecture, art, labor, and community bonds, she crafts compelling narratives through diverse mediums such as writing and film, all aimed at preserving and amplifying the rich cultural heritage of the Atlantic.