Born in Burkina Faso, architect Francis Kéré maintains a practice in Berlin, but has become renowned for his work, much in Africa, which focuses on community-based solutions and the use of local, sustainable materials. As further recognition of his rising star, he has been awarded the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal in Architecture. The socially engaged and ecologically resilient works of Kéré architecture have also been celebrated with many awards, including the global award for sustainable architecture (2009), the Marcus prize (2011), the global Lafargeholcim gold (2012), and the Schelling architecture foundation award (2014) among others. Commenting on the 2021 Thomas Jefferson foundation medal in architecture recipient, school of architecture dean Ila Berman said, ‘beginning with Francis Kéré’s original work in Gando and throughout his acclaimed career, he has not only taught the world that architecture and education are for everyone, but also has exemplified how architecture can build capacity in communities, foster environmental and cultural resilience, and inspire creativity while immeasurably serving the public good.’
SOURCE: DESIGN BOOM
