Kellogg MSUD Candidate Shortlisted for Grenfell Tower Memorial

Kellogg College MSc candidate in Sustainable Urban Development, Abel Feleke, has been shortlisted as co-designer for the Grenfell Tower Memorial – one of the UK’s most significant civic projects in recent years.

Feleke is among a select group of designers shortlisted to develop a lasting memorial to the Grenfell Tower tragedy, honouring the 72 people who lost their lives and those whose lives were irrevocably changed. The proposal, created through a multidisciplinary collaboration, is one of five chosen to move forward.

Founder of Habitat Unit, an independent consultancy working across architecture, urbanism, and sustainable development, Feleke has held advisory positions with the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat and with the New South Wales Government in Australia, where he served as Senior Design Advisor (Design Excellence). He is an Academician of the Academy of Urbanism (UK), a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (UK), and a World Economic Forum Global Shaper alumnus.

Reflecting on the influence of his studies, Feleke noted that his time at Kellogg has shaped both his design practice and ethos. Combining professional practice with part-time study, he has engaged with a global cohort of students committed to future urban outcomes. This experience, he observed, has underscored the ways in which climate governance, community engagement, and design excellence can intersect to support more resilient cities.

On the shortlisting, Feleke commented:

“Being shortlisted as a co-designer for the Grenfell Tower Memorial is both an honour and a profound responsibility. The process is centred in memory, justice, and the creation of a civic space shaped with and for the community. As a core member of the design team, Habitat Unit is proud to help shape the shortlisted proposal, contributing to a design approach that is inclusive, sustainable, and grounded in the voices of the community.”

Feleke matriculated in October 2023, and is expected to complete his MSc in Sustainable Urban Development later this year.