BENZIR CYNTHIA MISBAH AMANN
BSc (Hons) MArch PGDip ARB RIBA
architect | company director
Benzir is an architect and designer with a demonstrated history of working in architectural practices in England and Wales. She joined STORIK as director in 2018, having previously worked as Project Architect at the RIBA award winning practice, Infinity Architects. She has overseen and worked on projects across varied sectors and at all stages of the design process from concept to completion. Prior to moving to Suffolk, she has worked with practices in Cornwall and Cardiff, specialising in building conservation and work within conservation areas and historic town sites.
Her belief that architecture has a profound impact on people, the places they inhabit, and the effect this has on their quality of life has reinforced her commitment and approach to work, with the knowledge — that good design is a creative and collaborative process defined by observation and conscientious decision making — that good design should be made accessible to everyone.
Benzir completed her full architectural training at the Welsh School of Architecture in Cardiff. She is a chartered member of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), an active member of the Suffolk RIBA and its Design Awards Panel, and she enjoys creating collaborative links between academia and practice through her mentoring and teaching involvement at the University of Suffolk.
She has a keen interest in creative writing, film, installations and sculpture. Her Masters and her ongoing studio research explores the cross cultural links between Art and Architecture and the works of interdisciplinary practitioners. Out of the studio, she is an aspiring ceramicist and metal-shaper.
“From my earliest memories of playing in the earthen courtyards of my grandparents’ home in Bangladesh, to the more recent expeditions across Europe, crossing Venetian bridges, bathing in Roman baths and sitting at the foot of the temple of Apollo; I have come to realise that the way I experience these moments have been a life long fascination.
Imagining, designing, creating has always been more than just work, it has been my way of life. Composing light, sound and materials for people to interact with is both revealing and an empowering experience. It affects the shape of our future and prompts us to look back to evaluate and explore what came before us.
Architecture is my passion. It has defined the way I feel about the world around me. A career in the field was a natural choice as it combined my enjoyment for problem solving, love for the visual arts, craftsmanship and the natural environment. As an architect today, I’d like to think that I make a positive difference in the way others feel about the environment around them.”
