About
Prof. Dr. Kenny R. Cupers is Professor of Architectural History and Urban Studies at the University of Basel, affiliated with the Department of Social Sciences in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. He co-founded and leads the Urban Studies division, focusing on the intersections of architecture, urbanism, colonialism, and planetary design in African and European contexts.
- PhD, Harvard University (2010)
- M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Architecture, Catholic University of Leuven
- Studies in Visual Culture and Urban Theory, Goldsmiths College, London
His research centers on architectural modernism, housing, infrastructure, and decolonization. Key themes include the planetary politics of design, coloniality of infrastructure, and the role of architecture in state transformation. He is currently working on two book projects in Kenya: one on unmaking the plantation system through arts and architecture, and another on post-independence Nairobi’s urban history.
Recent publications include The Earth that Modernism Built: Empire and the Rise of Planetary Design (2024) and The Social Project: Housing Postwar France (2014). He leads the Sinergia project Governing through Design (2020–2025) and previously directed the SNF-funded How Infrastructure Shaped Territory in Africa (2018–2022). His work appears in journals such as e-flux Architecture, Antipode, and Architectural Theory Review.
Scientific Awards:
- No specific awards listed in the provided text.
As an educator, Cupers promotes engaged pedagogy and collaborative research, co-editing What is Critical Urbanism: Urban Research as Pedagogy (2022). His public research projects include Swiss Corporate Coloniality and Lamu Futures. He has advised multiple PhD and Master’s students, though specific names are not listed. He is part of a vibrant research team including Dr. Ernest Sewordor, Dr. Laura Nkula-Wenz, and Dr. Prita Meier.
Laboratories and Research Teams:
- Urban Studies, University of Basel
- Critical Urbanisms Program
- Sinergia Project: Governing through Design
- How Infrastructure Shaped Territory in Africa (completed)
- Infrastructure Space and the Future of Migration Management (completed)
