Oussouby SACKO

Oussouby SACKO is the President of Kyoto Seika University (since 2018) and holds a Visiting Professor position in the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Design. He specializes in spatial anthropology, focusing on the relationship between humans and their built environment. His research encompasses community architecture, spatial transformations, architectural heritage conservation, and urban planning. SACKO has conducted field studies across Japan, China, Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, and Niger. He is affiliated with numerous academic organizations, including the Order of Architects of Mali (OAM) and the Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ). His work bridges African and Asian studies, particularly through FFJ collaborations like Axis 4: “Rethinking Global Cities Today.”

Education: Graduated from Nanjing Southeast University (China) with a degree in Architecture, completed doctoral studies at Kyoto University (Japan). Multilingual in Bambara, English, French, Chinese, and the Kansai dialect. Publications span architectural journals and books addressing heritage preservation, community regeneration, and transnational cultural exchanges. His recent focus includes adaptive reuse of urban spaces and sustainable tourism development.

Research highlights include studies on Kyoto’s townhouses, trans-Saharan trade impacts on West African architecture, and the revitalization of closed schools. He actively participates in international conferences and has authored works such as African-born President Sako Talks about Japan and Oussouby Sako’s 'I Still Can’t Read the Mood.'