Mariam Issoufou’s climate-responsive and culturally grounded practice did not emerge from a predetermined ambition to build a global firm. Reflecting on the evolution of her studio, she admits, “the whole trajectory, the entire arc of the office has been a surprise to me.” After all, before turning to architecture, she studied computer science in the U.S. and worked for several years as a software developer. But, as a designer, her work has been guided by a sustained intellectual and ethical inquiry—concerns rooted in her experiences growing up in Niger.

Issoufou, 47, whose practice was formerly known as Atelier Masōmī, has been interested in rethinking how architecture can articulate a language of independence in a postcolonial context. She situates much of her work against the legacy of mid-20th-century nation building, something the architect describes as “performing Westernity,” which often comes at the expense of local identity and continuity. In this sense, her architecture is both a critique and a proposition—an effort to imagine built environments that do not erase their contexts but instead emerge from the specific climate, material, and culture of their sites.

For example, Issoufou favors simple forms for their accessibility and efficiency. “They can be constructed by almost anyone,” she notes, highlighting the importance of enabling both communal participation in building processes and reducing the need for specialized labor. These geometries can then gather into denser compositions, a method she deployed in her Dandaji Market (2019), which aggregates a series of umbrella-shaded stalls inspired by vernacular typologies. The Hikma Community Complex, completed in 2018, which integrates religious and secular activities, repurposes an existing mud-brick mosque as a library, reading rooms, and community spaces, alongside a newly built mosque, constructed of compressed-earth blocks, on an adjacent parcel.

Issoufou was “very clear-eyed early on” about maintaining an office located on the African continent. Her commitment is not only ideological but also pragmatic, cultivating local expertise while also strengthening the regional economy. It has proven enduring, even in the face of profound disruption. Following a military coup in Niger, in 2023, her office in the capital of Niamey was nearly dismantled overnight. Banks and other businesses ceased operating, she recalls, complicating her work and putting projects on hold. Forced to significantly reduce her team, she has since been rebuilding the firm, both in Niger and New York City. Issoufou frames this not as defeat, but as the reality of working within certain contexts, where conditions demand adaptability rather than retreat.

The firm has since expanded its reach to Europe, North America, and Asia. But at the core of Issoufou’s work is a belief in architecture as a vehicle for self-respect. “Through authenticity comes dignity,” she explains, emphasizing that the built environment can either reinforce or erode a sense of self-worth. For her, this is not a stylistic choice but an ethical imperative.