Now the pair (who met at the Bartlett School of Architecture in London), are currently working on 'The Coca-Cola Beatbox', a musical instrument and pavilion commissioned by Coca-Cola for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Photo: Asif Khan and Pernilla Ohrstedt with Coca-Cola Beatbox model.
Asif Khan (born 1979, London) founded his architecture practice in 2007. The studio works internationally on projects ranging from cultural buildings to houses, temporary pavilions, exhibitions and installations. Notable projects include the MegaFaces pavilion at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, the Coca-Cola Beatbox Pavilion at the London 2012 Olympics, and most recently he was a finalist in the competition for the Helsinki Guggenheim Museum and the British Pavilion at Milan Expo 2015.
He is the recipient of numerous awards, including a Red Dot award for Design, Cannes Lion Grand Prix for Innovation, a D&AD award, a Special citation in the Young Architect Programme 2011 MAXXI + MoMA/PS1, Design Miami Designer of the Future in 2011 and Design Museum Designer in Residence 2010. Khan lectures globally on his work, sits on the board of Trustees of the Design Museum and teaches MA Architecture at the Royal College of Art.
Khan was awarded an MBE for Services to Architecture in 2017 and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Design Museum in London. His carbon fibre portals for Dubai Expo 2020 were nominated for the Aga Khan Award in 2023. Current projects include the Barbican Art Centre Renewal, the New London Museum, the Museum of the Incense Road in Al-Ula, the Tselinny Centre for Contemporary Culture in Almaty, and "Cartier" at the V&A in 2025.
He has collaborated with musicians and artists such as Brian Eno, Theaster Gates, Mark Ronson and scientists such as Di. Catherine Heymans.
Khan's works have been exhibited at Sharjah Architecture Triennale, V&A Dundee, MAAT Lisbon, Royal Academy of Arts, Milan Salone, Milan Triennale, London Design Week, and Tokyo Design Week. He will participate as an artist in the Islamic Art Biennale in Jeddah, in 2025.
