Mae-ling Lokko is a designer and architectural scientist from Ghana and the Philippines whose work centers on the upcycling of agrowaste and biopolymer materials. Lokko holds a Ph.D. and Masters of Science in Architectural Science from the Center from Architecture, Science and Ecology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and B.A from Tufts University. Her research aims to codevelop business models for upcycling between the Global North and South and evolves material life cycle design criteria to meet generative justice criteria. Currently, she serves as the Director of the Building Sciences Program and an Assistant Professor at Rensselaer’s School of Architecture. Lokko is the founder of Willow Technologies Ltd., an integrated life cycle design company, based in Accra, Ghana.

Her work has been nominated for the Visible Award 2019, Royal Academy Dorfman Award 2020 and she was a finalist for the Hublot Design Prize 2019. Lokko’s recent projects have been exhibited globally at the Somerset House (2020), Serpentine Gallery, London (2019), Radialsystem, Berlin (2019), Luma Foundation, Arles (2019), 4^th Istanbul Design Biennial (2018), Rhode Island School of Design (2018), Royal Institute of British Architects-North as part of the Liverpool Biennial 2018 and at the Mmofra Foundation, Accra (2017-present).