Ada - My Mother the Architect

Directed by her daughter Yael Melamde, a former architect turned filmmaker, this documentary seeks to tell the story of her mother the ground-breaking architect Ada Karmi Melamede.

Through a series of personal interviews and contributions from colleagues and friends, the documentary opens up some of Ada’s life. She is very much in control, as Yael tries to probe deeper. And it’s hardly surprising that someone who had to contend with the endemic misogyny of the profession and American universities is going to be assertive.

Ada is quite open about the problems of raising a family split over two countries, America and Israel while trying to establish herself as an architect either by designing or in academia. Her rejection by the latter, by refusing tenure, forced her seek work and develop her career. Her perseverance and skill eventually leading to her designing some of the most important and symbolic public institutions in Israel.

It’s a fascinating story as it mirrors her growth as a person and architect with the growth and establishment of Israel from the 1940’s. A country built on a series of ideals symbolised by the design of the Israeli Supreme Court by Ada and her late brother Ram Karmi that today appear under threat.

Ada is forthcoming about her inspirations and her working methods; computers are very good but there’s still a place for drawing. Broken into five chapters Ada takes the viewer through both the philosophy of design and the practical elements of materials and construction.

For her part Yael uses various filming techniques to open up what Ada is explaining which at times is a fairly complex philosophy on her life and work. Speaking in both Hebrew and English was probably a challenge for the translators however Ada’s at times stream of consciousness isn’t watered down as far as I can tell.

Ada is an engaging fluid speaker in both languages. And a barbed sense of humour as when she comments on a Supreme Court tour guide’s interpretation of part of the building: ‘I didn’t design a womb’ she wryly comments.

Ada - My Mother the Architect will be in UK cinemas from 1 May 2026.