Congratulations Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara!
The Irish architects Yvonne Farrell (°1951) and Shelley McNamara (°1952) are co-founders of the Dublin-based studio Grafton Architects. In the past few decades, the Grafton team has gained a reputation for designing visionary educational, governmental and cultural buildings, to name just a few of their strong suits. Their work can be found in their home country of Ireland as well as abroad, in cities such as Paris, Lima, and Milan.
Farrell and McNamara have taught at numerous universities and institutions around the world and are currently Professors at the Accademia di Architettura, Mendrisio, Switzerland. In their view, architecture is not so much about objects as it is about space. They are masters at integrating each project into its own unique context. “Their buildings are 'good neighbours' that seek to make a contribution beyond the boundaries of the building and to make a city work better,” said the jury of the Pritzker Prize – widely considered the highest award in architecture – which Farrell and McNamara received in 2020.
Promotor of the joint doctorate is Martine De Maeseneer.