It’s the buzzword of the century. Often disguised as ‘consultation process’, ‘community-led’ and ‘bottom-up initiatives’, public engagement has become an enemy of its own success. In Britain, at least, within the planning process, it is second in the endless list of jargon currently topped only by ‘sustainability’. And this has come at a high price, because while consistent pu ...

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Clever design adapts well. If your house could be easily adapted to accommodate you on crutches, it’s likely that someone was considering that aspect when it was designed. If there’s a part of it where you could run a home office, with a separate access, the value is increased. Likewise, if the site of a new house could become the location for two well designed houses at a later date. A ...

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The Guinness Power Station building looks out across the Liffey, perched on a slope and surrounded by pipes, tanks, brick chimneys and even a disused windmill. It could be one of the most breathtaking additions to Dublin's cultural spaces if it were converted into a gallery or museum. It is a marvellous icon of early twentieth century architecture, and presents two great facades. One faces to ...

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Architecture is about places and memory.... Barrack street was my first home away from home... Little thatched cottages are everywhere... Homes are made of memories... ...

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Black commonly represents evil, darkness, bad luck, lying, mystery, silence, concealment, elegance, execution, end, death and secrecy.  Ask a physicist about black and you may be told that black is strictly speaking not a colour at all.  However, if you ask Rauchenberg, Rothko, Stella, Bueys, Jackson Pollack or Goya they will quickly refer you to their “black paintings” which of course r ...

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As we face into the economic storm with 40% of architects already out of a job, it might offer some consolation to look at the progress of Irish architecture during the boom years. The quality of public buildings has certainly improved though they were always built to a higher standard than most of those in the private sector. The Office of Public Works, with the projects its own architect ...

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In the afternoons, I walk with my daughter from our house at the top of the St Luke's area of Cork into the city centre. It is a walk of about half an hour, although it can take more, if the curiosity of an almost two-year-old is peaked into unexpected diversions down laneways, through a churchyard or into the grounds of the local hospice. Along the way, I notice how she engages with her ...

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