Grafton Architects' co-founders Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara have been jointly awarded the fourth annual Jane Drew Prize for their “massive influence” on the profession. The “hardworking” Dublin-based duo impressed the jury, which included Norman Foster and Patty Hopkins, for not being “afraid to speak in a language that is feminine” yet “produce buildings which are robust and full of conviction.”
“Grafton’s buildings are consistently high quality. Their approach is solid,” added the jury. “They are business-savvy.”
Since founding their practice in 1978, Farrell and McNamara have praised for being influential “role models” for women in architecture, as well as esteemed professors and highly-decorated architects who’ve won a number prestigious awards. In 2013, Grafton was shortlisted for the Stirling Prize for their work at the University of Limerick. In 2008, the pair won World Building of the Year Award at the World Architecture Festival for the School of Economics at Milan’s Università Luigi Bocconi.
Currently, Grafton is working on a new School of Economics for the Université Toulouse 1 Capitole at UTEC University in Lima, Peru, and a new building for Kingston University in south-west London - their first UK project.
Farrell recently spoke about the importance of architecture and the need to grow the imagination of students. See what she has to say in the video below:
News via AJ
