This years Murray Lecture with be delivered by Jayden Ali and kicks off LFA2026 with an exploration of the 2026 theme of 'Belonging', at the scale of the city, neighbourhood, high streets and projects.

The Murray Lecture is an annual event that brings leading voices in the built environment to discuss the future of cities and our industry. Ali will unpack the theme of Belonging, before sitting down with Shumi Bose for a conversation unpacking ideas shared further and inviting the audience into the discussion through a moment of Q&A.

Jayden Ali, Founding Director of JA Projects, is an architect, artist, and educator shaping the culture of contemporary cities. Recognised by the Design Museum, Vogue, Wallpaper*, and the Architects’ Journal’s “40 Under 40,” he serves as a London Mayor’s Design Advocate, Dean’s Visiting Professor at Columbia University, and teaches at prestigious institutions across Europe. His work spans civic and cultural projects, from reimagining London’s iconic Piccadilly Circus to co-curating the British Pavilion at the 2023 Venice Biennale. Recent projects include MATTER and SHAPE 2026 in Paris, and both the Why We Make Galleries at V&A East Museum, and the revitalisation of Queen's Market in London. Upcoming projects include; work for the Smithsonian Design Museum Cooper Hewitt, NYC; city-scale illuminated artwork for Elephant and Castle, London; and the artistic direction of a major theatrical event in the Caribbean.