Perhaps now more than ever before, we are all aware of the built environment that surrounds us, and of the impacts it has on the health of individuals, communities, and the planet. The Architecture of Place series brings together the established and emerging voices working to create a better built future.
From December 2025 through February 2026, the ICAA, INTBAU, and The King's Foundation will co-host The Architecture of Place: In Conversation with..., a series of interviews featuring three designers and place-makers from different backgrounds and points of view: Manvendra Singh Shekhawat, Felicity Cain, and Soraya Hosni.
In this three-part series, each speaker will alternately serve as interviewer and interviewee, discussing the influences, experiences, and projects that have shaped their approach to the architecture of place. Each session will conclude with an open Q&A. The programs are free and open for public registration, and recorded versions of the programs will be made available to all.
In this iteration of the series, Manvendra Singh Shekhawat will interview Felicity Cain.
Felicity Cain is an architect and urban specialist whose work explores the intersection of cultural heritage, reconstruction, and the right to place. She currently serves as Deputy Country Director for UN-Habitat in Syria, leading programmes for the urban and housing sector recovery of historic cities across Syria.
Before her work in Syria, Felicity spent seven years in Afghanistan, where she lead heritage rehabilitation and artisan-led regeneration projects in Kabul’s Old City and the Bamiyan Valley with Turquoise Mountain. She has also previously worked with the UN, NGOs and private sector across Asia and the Middle East. Her interest lies in the importance of cultural heritage in guiding recovery efforts in post-conflict and crisis-affected contexts.