'The Geography of Hope': A Daylight Talk by Grafton Architects

As part of the UIA World Congress of Architects 2023 taking place in Copenhagen, Daylight and Architecture is proud to host a Daylight Talk with Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara co-founders of Grafton Architects in collaboration with The Royal Danish Academy.

The talk is part of a line up of three Daylight Talks at the UIA2023CPH.

The talk is presented by rector of The Royal Danish Academy Lene Dammand Lund.

Daylight Talk #15: ‘The Geography of Hope’

Live event: 05 July 2023, at 10:30 AM, Bella Center, Copenhagen

Check out the two other Daylight Talks that took place at UIA World Congress of Architects:

Omar Gandhi: Using Natural Light as a tool for creating an architectural narrative 

Dorte Mandrup: Northern Light

About Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara

Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara co-founded Grafton Architects in 1978, having graduated from University College Dublin in 1974. They are Fellows of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI); International Honorary Fellows of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA); members of Aosdána; Professors at the Academia in Mendrisio, Switzerland. In 2018, they were the Curators of the Venice Architecture Biennale with their manifesto: Freespace. Shelley McNamara and Yvonne Farrell were the 2020 recipients of the Pritzker Prize.

Senior Directors Gerard Carty and Philippe O’Sullivan have been with the practice since 1992. They are accomplished teachers and architects and play a central role in the life of the practice.

Grafton Architects’ numerous awards include: The inaugural RIBA International Prize for the Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología (UTEC) in Lima, Peru in 2016; the RIAI Gold Medal for Bocconi University, Milan; the RIBA Royal Gold Medal in 2020; L’ Équerre d’argent Prize for best building in France with Vigneau Zilio Architectes for Toulouse School of Economics; Kingston University London – Town House won the RIBA 2021 Stirling Prize. Recently completed projects – all won by international competition – include: The Marshall Institute, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, for the London School of Economics; Headquarters for Electricity Supply Board (ESB) with OMP architects in Dublin; Institute Mines Telcom , Paris/ Saclay, France. In April 2022, it was announced that Kingston University London – Town House won the EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies Van der Rohe Award 2022.

Recently completed projects – all won by international competition – include: The Marshall Institute, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, for the London School of Economics; Headquarters for Electricity Supply Board (ESB) with OMP architects in Dublin; Institute Mines Telcom , Paris/ Saclay, France.

About Lene Dammand Lund 

Lene Dammand Lund has been Rector at The Royal Danish Academy – Architecture, Design and Conservation since 2012. She is behind the vision: that the Academy must promote knowledge and talent that can support sustainable change for both the planet and humans. As a natural part of this vision, she headed the decision in 2016 to relate teaching and research at the Academy to the UN Global Goals.

Previously to her position as Rector, Lene Dammand Lund was CEO of the Danish landscape architectural firm SLA A/S. She has been Assistant Professor at The Royal Danish Academy, editor at the Danish Architectural magazine “Arkitekten” and has worked at both Danish and international design studios. She is trained as an Architect and holds an MBA.

Lene Dammand Lund is member of the board of UIA 2023. Moreover she is part of an expert group, appointed by the Minister of Culture, which will provide input for a new Danish architecture policy, The Danish Design Council and the Danish Parliament’s Inter-Political Network for the UN Global Goals.

About KADK Royal Danish Academy 

The Royal Danish Academy

The Royal Danish Academy – Architecture, Design, Conservation orients itself towards the outside world and aims to take great social responsibility. We strive to be an active, creative and leading player in relation to the major national and global agendas that is shaping our time.

The Academy is a research and educational institution that is and always has been in continuous transformation. But one thing is certain: We draw on a historical foundation of practice, art and science. And we believe that this is exactly what qualifies us to take the lead in innovative creativity, technological solutions, ground-breaking research and noticeable social impact.

The Royal Danish Academy – Architecture, Design, Conservation unites three fields of knowledge: academic research, artistic research and professional practice as three different ways to discover, invent and create.

These three fields are closely interlinked in the education, enabling us to develop graduates and knowledge, which match the needs of the profession, while contributing world-class research, ground-breaking artistic design and new experimental understanding. Our knowledge base gives the Royal Danish Academy – Architecture, Design, Conservation a unique position among educational and research institutions both in Denmark and abroad.