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Events

Architecture: the infrastructure of society

Hosted by Ӱ̳ Cities and the Pritzker Architecture Prize

Online and in-person public event (Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building)

Speakers

Yvonne Farrell

Yvonne Farrell

Francis Kéré

Francis Kéré

Anne Lacaton

Anne Lacaton

Shelley McNamara

Shelley McNamara

Jeanne-Philippe Vassal

Jeanne-Philippe Vassal

Chair

Baroness Shafik

Baroness Shafik

Moderator

Baroness Shafik

Professor Ricky Burdett

The five recent winners of the Pritzker Prize, considered the highest honour in the architectural profession, will debate how the design of the built environment is fundamental to shaping more democratic and sustainable contexts at a time of increased fragility and vulnerability of urban and ecological systems.

From innovative uses of local resources and participatory design methods in Africa, to the exploration of generosity of space and economic use of materials in educational and residential buildings in cities of the global North, the speakers will argue that architecture plays an increasingly  critical role in constructing more open, resilient and healthy places for people.

Meet our speakers and chair

Yvonne Farrell is co-founder of Grafton Architects, Dublin, winner of the 2020 Pritzker Architecture Prize and designer of Ӱ̳'s Marshall Building.

Diébédo Francis Kéré is founder of Kéré Architecture, Burkina Faso/Germany and winner of the 2022 Pritzker Architecture Prize.

Anne Lacaton is co-founder of Lacaton and Vassal Architects, Paris and winner of the 2021 Pritzker Architecture Prize.

Shelley McNamara is co-founder of Grafton Architects, Dublin, winner of the 2020 Pritzker Architecture Prize and designer of Ӱ̳'s Marshall Building.

Jeanne-Philippe Vassal is co-founder of Lacaton and Vassal Architects, Paris and winner of the 2021 Pritzker Architecture Prize.

Ricky Burdett () is Professor of Urban Studies at Ӱ̳ and Director of Ӱ̳ Cities.

Minouche Shafik is Director of the London School of Economics and Political Science. Prior to this, she was Deputy Governor of the Bank of England. She is an alumna of Ӱ̳. Her new book, What We Owe Each Other: A New Social Contract, is out now. She is co-chair of the Economy 2030 Inquiry commission.More about this event

Ӱ̳ Cities () is an international centre that investigates the complexities of the contemporary city. It carries out research, graduate and executive education, outreach and advisory activities in London and abroad.

The Pritzker Architecture Prize is presented annually to honour a living architect or architects whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture.

Twitter Hashtag for this event: #Ӱ̳PritzkerPrize

Featured image (used in source code with watermark added): Photo by Francis Kéré.

Podcast & Video

A podcast of this event is available to download from Architecture: the infrastructure of society

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