Fifth Edition 2015-2016

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Grainne Hassett (1967) completed research under the Kevin Kieran Arts Council OPW Bursary for Research in Architecture and is a Senior Lecturer at the new School of Architecture, University of Limerick. She has acted as visiting critic to Yokohama, Turin, Stockholm and Strathclyde Schools of Architecture, and has been design tutor at the University College Dublin and Dublin Institute of Technology Schools of Architecture.
Hassett Ducatez Architects was established in Dublin by Grainne Hassett in 1995. The practice has received seven Irish architectural awards; most recently the Downes Medal for Architectural Excellence for the Brookfield Youth Community Centre in Tallaght, Dublin. The practice has also lectured, published and exhibited built and research work internationally, recently as part of the Lives of Spaces exhibit in the 11th Architecture Biennale Venice (2008), also New Trends Europe Asia Oceania Exhibition (2004-2005) in Lille, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Cork, Melbourne, Korea. The practice was selected in a shortlist of ten for Young Architect of the Year in the UK (2002), and exhibited at the Pompidou Centre (1994), Europan Geneva (1994), New York Storefront for Art and Architecture (1996), Berlin Spreebogen Competition (1991), and Royal Hibernian Gallery Dublin (2006-2007).

In 2015 Grainne established The Calais Builds, which built some of the key infrastructure in the Calais Refugee Camp since that time, notably in the Women and Children’s centre, Alice’s Community Therapy Space, The Vaccination Centre and Calais Refugee Service Youth Centre. Every aspect – funding, organising, buying materials, finding labour, negotiating sites, and building, despite police brutality and local conditions – was entirely voluntary.