Architects Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara have been named as the 47th and 48th Laureates of the Pritzker Prize on the 3rd of March this year highlighting the contribution of women in architecture

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Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara are founding members of the Dublin-based practice Grafton Architects, Yvonne Farrell (1951) and Shelley McNamara (1952) met at the School of Architecture at University College Dublin (UCD) . They studied under rationalist architects who had newly arrived to challenge the pre-existing thought and culture of the institution. After the  graduating in 1976, they were each offered the unique opportunity to teach at UCD which they believes as an opportunity to pass on the knowledge to the future generation as well as serving the culture. They continued to educate until 2006, and were appointed as adjunct professors in 2015.

‍Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara became second duo to win the most prestigious honour in the architectural community (2010- Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of Tokyo-based SANAA) and first Ireland based architects to win this award. They established their firm in Ireland more than forty years ago and have served several individuals and communities in multiple countries.

For their integrity in their approach to both their buildings, as well as the way they conduct their practice, their belief in collaboration, their generosity towards their colleagues, especially as evidenced in such events as the 2018 Venice Biennale, their unceasing commitment to excellence in architecture, their responsible attitude toward the environment, their ability to be cosmopolitan while embracing the uniqueness of each place in which they work, for all these reasons and more, Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara are awarded the 2020 Pritzker Architecture Prize.’ – Source: Pritzker Prize website

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Shelley McNamara recollects,“My awakening to the experience of architecture was a visit as a child to an enormous 18th-century house on the beautiful main street of the city of Limerick where my aunt lived. Her husband had a beautiful mahogany lined pharmacy shop on the ground floor, and she ran a little Montessori school in a room over the entrance hall. This aroused a sense of wonder as to what a house could be and I remember vividly the sensation of space and light, which was an absolute revelation to me.” 

“One of my earliest memories is of lying on my back on a cushion on the floor underneath the baby grand piano we had at home. While my mother played the piano above me, I remember being aware of the wonderful space filled with music under that walnut instrument. I grew up in Tullamore, Co. Offaly, Ireland—a town of streets and squares, stone warehouses, crafted houses and a canal that cut a wonderful line into the landscape. An oak forest at the edge of the town had a carpet of bluebells every spring. Nature felt very close.” says Yvonne Farrell.

For their integrity in their approach to both their buildings, as well as the way they conduct their practice, their belief in collaboration, their generosity towards their colleagues, especially as evidenced in such events as the 2018 Venice Biennale, their unceasing commitment to excellence in architecture, their responsible attitude toward the environment, their ability to be cosmopolitan while embracing the uniqueness of each place in which they work, for all these reasons and more, Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara are awarded the 2020 Pritzker Architecture Prize.’ – Source: Pritzker Prize website

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For their integrity in their approach to both their buildings, as well as the way they conduct their practice, their belief in collaboration, their generosity towards their colleagues, especially as evidenced in such events as the 2018 Venice Biennale, their unceasing commitment to excellence in architecture, their responsible attitude toward the environment, their ability to be cosmopolitan while embracing the uniqueness of each place in which they work, for all these reasons and more, Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara are awarded the 2020 Pritzker Architecture Prize.’ – Source: Pritzker Prize website

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Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara along with three other architects established Grafton Architects in 1978. The firm was named after the street where it was located, with the focus on emphasising sense of place rather than individuals. Later, the two female architects were the only existing members of the original 5 and led the firm towards their principles of human-centric design before winning the Pritzker this year, before this award, Grafton Architects, for their  innovative human-centric work, have won numerous accolades in Architecture.

“The collaboration between Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara represents a veritable interconnectedness between equal counterparts, They demonstrate incredible strength in their architecture, show deep relation to the local situation in all regards, establish different responses to each commission while maintaining the honesty of their work, and exceed the requirements of the field through responsibility and community.” states Pritzker.

 “Architecture is a framework for human life. It anchors us and connects us to the world in a way that possibly no other space-making discipline can. At the core of our practice is a real belief that architecture matters. It is a cultural spatial phenomenon that people invent.” - Shelley McNamara  

“Architecture could be described as one of the most complex and important cultural activities on the planet. To be an architect is an enormous privilege. To win this prize is a wonderful endorsement of our belief in architecture. Thank you for this great honour.” – Yvonne Farrell.

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