Architect who won Lawrence award to speak at tribute event

A RECIPIENT of a Stephen Lawrence bursary who became an award-winning architect is among three renowned speakers who will talk on ‘resilience’ at an event in memory of the murdered teenager.

Stephen had dreamed of becoming an architect before he was stabbed to death aged 18 in an unprovoked racist attack in 1993. The annual Stephen Lawrence Memorial Lecture takes place on September 12, the day before what would have been Stephen’s 43rd birthday, at the Royal Institute of British Architects in London.

The lecture is in aid of The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, which helps disadvantaged students to pursue a career in architecture.

The speakers include Simone de Gale, who was one of the first recipients of a Stephen Lawrence Bursary Award to start their own architect’s practice. She recently won ‘Architect of the Year’ at the Women in Construction Awards 2017.

She will be joined by Francis Kéré, an architect from Burkina Faso. His father allowed him to attend school even though many villagers considered conventional western education to be a waste of time. He won a scholarship in Germany and earned a university degree. He recently completed the Serpentine Pavilion 2017.

Tickets cost £25 full price, with 100 available to students at £5. They can be bought at www.eventbrite.co.uk.