{{short description|Namibian architect and anti-apartheid activist}} [[File:Polytechnic of Namibia engineering campus.jpg|thumb|The Namibia University of Science and Technology Engineering campus in central Windhoek. All buildings on this campus were designed by Kerry McNamara Architects]] '''Kerry McNamara''' (August 1940 in Kuruman – 16 January 2017 in Swakopmund) was a Namibian master architect and anti-Apartheid activist.
McNamara was born in August 1940 in Kuruman in the Northern Cape region of South Africa. In 1965 he graduated from University of Cape Town and moved to South-West Africa shortly thereafter. His first architectural project was the Technical High School in Ongwediva,<ref name=AZ>{{Cite news | title=Architekt Kerry McNamara verstorben |trans-title=Architect Kerry McNamara dies | language=German | newspaper=Allgemeine Zeitung | date=19 January 2017 | url=https://www.az.com.na/nachrichten/architekt-kerry-mcnamara-verstorben}}</ref> later renamed to Ongwediva Training College.<ref name=Tribute>{{Cite news | title=Tribute to Kerry McNamara | last=Smuts | first=Dave | newspaper= The Namibian | date=19 January 2017 | page=7 | url=http://www.namibian.com.na/50133/read/Tribute-to-Kerry-McNamara}}</ref> He founded ''Kerry McNamara and Associates'' in 1977, a company in 1988 renamed to ''Kerry McNamara Architects''.<ref name=anti>{{Cite news | title=Anti-apartheid architect dies | last=Ngatjiheue | first=Charmaine | newspaper= The Namibian | date=18 January 2017 | page=3 | url=http://www.namibian.com.na/50095/read/Anti-apartheid-architect-dies}}</ref>
During his career McNamara he contributed to about 1,170 architectural designs,<ref name=AZ/> the best known of which were the Oshakati Open Market, the buildings at Namibia University of Science and Technology{{'s}} Engineering campus, the display of the Hoba meteorite near Grootfontein, and the Rössing Foundation Adult Education Centre in Windhoek.<ref name=Tribute/> He received recognition of his "innovative design of public places",<ref name=Tribute/> and as a "standard setter on the Namibian architectural landscape".<ref name=anti/> His colleague Natanael Araseb described him as a "visionary architect who practised urban design long before the concept had been coined".<ref name=farewell>{{Cite news | title=Namibia bids McNamara farewell | last=Kisting | first=Denver | newspaper= The Namibian | date=23 January 2017 | page=5 | url=http://www.namibian.com.na/50256/read/Namibia-bids-McNamara-farewell}}</ref> In 2010 he received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" from the Namibian Chamber of Architects.<ref name=AZ/>
Kerry McNamara was a known anti-apartheid activist. He was one of the driving forces behind the ''Namibia Peace Plan 435'', a lobby group pushing for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 435 which called for the Independence of Namibia and the abolishment of White minority rule.<ref name=Tribute/> The offices of The Namibian, a newspaper critical of the South African occupation of South-West Africa and supporting the then-oppressed SWAPO party, were leased from him, despite repeated firebombing and teargassing attacks by pro-apartheid militia. McNamara also partnered with Niko Bessinger, a black architect and known SWAPO leader,<ref name=anti/> knowing that this partnership would cost him numerous contracts from the state and from private individuals.<ref name=Tribute/>
McNamara died from cancer on 16 January 2017 in his retirement home in Swakopmund. He was married to Shelagh McNamara; the couple had three sons and a daughter.<ref name=anti/>
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McNamara, Kerry}} Category:1940 births Category:2017 deaths Category:Namibian architects Category:Deaths from cancer in Namibia Category:South African emigrants to Namibia Category:University of Cape Town alumni Category:White Namibian people Category:South West African anti-apartheid activists Category:South African people of Irish descent Category:Namibian people of Irish descent Category:20th-century South African architects