Penelope Vasquez Hadjilyra was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and grew up in Limassol, Cyprus. She studied architecture in the United Kingdom and Cyprus, and today she runs the architectural research laboratory “The way space begins” in Limassol. She collaborates with the CYENS Research Centre and the MaaSlab developing innovative applications and services in the fields of urban greenery, transport, and energy. Within the framework of the European Cities Mission 2030 program, she coordinated the preparation of the Limassol’s strategy to achieve Climate Neutrality by 2030. A PhD candidate in Architecture at Frederick University, EU Climate Pact Ambassador, and member of environmental standardization committees both in Cyprus and Europe, Penelope researches and discovers every day new ways in which she can contribute to addressing the global climate crisis. Penelope is a candidate for the Cyprus Parliamentary Elections 2026 with Volt Cyprus.
