Born: Unknown, Zimbabwe (assumed)
Died: NA
Country most active: Zimbabwe
Also known as: NA
The following is excerpted from Women Architects Worldwide: Building a Diverse and Inclusive Canon by Aubree Tillett, edited by Aubree Tillett and Jess Ilias, an open-access Pressbook designed to uplift the names of women architects from almost every country and territory around the world. This entry is shared in line with the Creative Commons licensing.
Irene Masiyanise is the first woman to hold the position of Chairperson of the Architects Council of Zimbabwe (ACZ, 2018–2019), and is also the first Black woman to serve as President of the Institute of Architects of Zimbabwe (IAZ, 2012–2014). Masiyanise is founder and principal architect at Masiyanise T.I. Architect in Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe (2004). She holds a bachelor’s of arts (Hons.) in architecture from the University of Portsmouth in Portsmouth, England, where she also completed a Postgraduate Diploma (PgD). She has been an ACZ member since 2004, served as an ACZ board member (2004-2014 and 2018-2019), and served as vice president of the Institute of Architects of Zimbabwe (2008–2011). Masiyanise was named one of the “50 Influential African Women Architects” by African Column, and earned the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) “Women in Enterprise” award in the Construction Category (2014).
References
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“‘Architectural Opportunities in Zimbabwe, Let Alone Africa Are so Many as We Have Not Even Scratched the Surface’ Irene Masiyanise.” Structure and Design Magazine, September 20, 2024. “https://structureanddesignzim.com/architectural-opportunities-in-zimbabwe-let-alone-africa-are-so-many-as-we-have-not-even-scratched-the-surface-irene-masiyanise/”>https://structureanddesignzim.com/architectural-opportunities-in-zimbabwe-let-alone-africa-are-so-many-as-we-have-not-even-scratched-the-surface-irene-masiyanise/. [Link unavailable as of March 10, 2026].
“50 Influential African Women Architects.” Africans Column, March 31, 2024. https://africanscolumn.com/50-influential-african-women-architects/.
Harriss, Harriet, Naomi House, Monika Parrinder, and Tom Ravenscroft. 100 Women: Architects in Practice. London: RIBA Publishing, 2023. doi:10.4324/9781032649580.
Home page. MTI Architect, accessed March 4, 2024. https://mtiarchitect.com/.
Masiyanise, Irene. “Irene Masiyanise is the Principal Architect of Masiyanise TI Architect (MTI Architect). Instagram, July 21, 2023. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cu9zSAoK7Yj/.
Masiyanise, Irene. LinkedIn, accessed March 4, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/irene-masiyanise-5668bb42/?originalSubdomain=zw.
“Meet Your Architects: Shaping Zimbabwe’s Architectural Landscape.” Structure and Design, accessed March 4, 2024. https://structureanddesignzim.com/meet-your-architects-shaping-zimbabwes-architectural-landscape/. [Link unavailable as of March 10, 2026].
“WOMENOMICS: Happy Accident That Changed Architecture.” The Sunday Mail, March 26, 2016. https://www.sundaymail.co.zw/womenomics-happy-accident-that-changed-architecture.