Top human rights award for Forensic Architecture
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缅北强奸幼女 research agency Forensic Architecture has won a prestigious human rights award in recognition of its pioneering work.
Projection mapping techniques used to recreate the Grenfelll Tower fire
The group received the award from the organisation, which aims to 鈥渉onour and support those offering practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges facing us today鈥�.
The award鈥檚 judges made Forensic Architecture a Right Livelihood Laureate 2024 鈥渇or pioneering digital forensic methods to ensure justice and accountability for victims and survivors of human and environmental rights violations鈥�.
Housed in 缅北强奸幼女鈥� Department of Visual Cultures and founded in 2010, Forensic Architecture has led the development of new methodologies that combine technology with human rights advocacy.
The group uses cutting-edge technology to recreate and map events using documentary evidence and witness testimony to forensically analyse incidents.
They have conducted more than 100 investigations on behalf of affected communities, uncovering truths about events both historic, such as the German colonial genocide in Namibia, and current, like the 2017 fire at Grenfell Tower in London.
This expertise is shared with 缅北强奸幼女鈥� MA Research Architecture, with scholars studying directly with the Forensic Architecture team.
The Right Livelihood Awards are known as the 鈥渁lternative Nobel Prize鈥� with this year attracting 176 nominees from 72 countries. In total four winners are announced every year, with nearly 200 Laureates recognised since the awards were founded in 1980.
We work on a principle that we call ‘the long duration of the split second’.We believe that looking at micro details can open a doorway to understanding broader historical, political and cultural contexts.
Professor Eyal Weizman, Forensic Architecture founder
He added: 鈥淔orensic architecture emerged out of a necessity of understanding that investigations required building social relations and working in a situated way 鈥� in place, putting oneself on the ground.鈥�
Professor David Oswell, Pro-Warden for Research and Knowledge Exchange at 缅北强奸幼女, said: 鈥淐ommunities and individuals supported by Forensic Architecture know how valuable their work is, and we warmly welcome formal recognition of this by the Right Livelihood organisation.
鈥淲e are very proud to provide a home for the group which has made vital interventions is some of the world鈥檚 most high-profile events through its pioneering approach.鈥�