Jane Drew prize winner 2013

The Architect's Journal's jury has selected their winner of the 2013 Jane Drew Prize as Eva Jiřičná. By an unanimous vote she won the award "for her outstanding contribution to the status of women in architecture".

The Czech-born architect is based in London, after studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, starting her career with the Greater London Council followed by  the Louis de Soisssons Partneship. She then set up her own practice with David Hodges in 1982 and from there she began to be recognised for her work.

She rebranded her firm in 1985 to Eva Jiricna Architects, then in 1988 completed her flagship store for the Joseph fashion label, where it is said she "reinvented the idea of retail"

Jiřičná, who is also famous for her steel and glass staircases, was part of the inaguaral judging panel for the prize in 1998, which was created to honour Dame Jane Drew, who died in July 1996 and was an English modernist architect and town planner.  

She recieved her prize at a special luncheon held in London on the 22nd March. Read an arctile about the awards here.