Rayan Elnayal is a Sudanese artist, designer, and educator based in London, with a background in architecture. In 2020, she transitioned from traditional practice to foster a more equitable and creative approach to design that also nurtures her artistic pursuits. She is also the co-founder and director of Space Black, a collective of Black professionals in the built environment, dedicated to imagining alternative spatial futures for marginalised communities.

Her artistic journey began with her MArch thesis project, where she studied the use of magical realism by postcolonial novelists and artists to convey complex experiences and make them emotionally resonant. She was particularly drawn to magical realism as a tool for envisioning alternative futuristic aesthetics. She highlights the critical role speculative design plays in shaping our future built environments, while emphasising how access to these influential roles remains restricted due to various systemic barriers. She now integrates the technical skills she developed during her architectural studies; such as 3D modelling and digital collaging to design and visualise her own desired futuristic projections.

Rayan currently has a solo exhibit displayed at Al Bustan Seeds in Philadelphia, which features two series of three artworks: The first is a new triptych created in 2025, presenting floating axonometric views of segments of the traditional Sudanese home. The second series reimagine these segments in a more abstract context, distorting shadows, reflections, and time. Viewers often enjoy identifying the architectures that cross reference each other in these collections. Together, these works delve into her personal vision of futuristic Sudanese spaces and the desire to establish an alternative futuristic aesthetic that still honours her heritage and way of life.

Rayan’s practice is rooted in granting herself permission to play and imagine futuristic aesthetics inclusive of her heritage, that by default must resist harmful Eurocentric design principles; this practice would be exceptionally incomplete without consistently integrating outreach programmes and workshops that empower others to do the same. Both the visual and educational ventures of this practice nurture each other. As an educator and architecture design tutor, Rayan also strives to embed teaching practices that empower others to honour their backgrounds and lived experiences too.

As always, her pieces invite viewers to step into these imagined spaces and explore them. Her work challenges us to reflect on our personal attitudes toward futurism and futuristic aesthetics, while reminding us that our envisioned future environments can honour our heritages, communities, and shared joy.