Mark the Dates in Your Diary
January 20 2010

Open House Dublin 7-10 October 2010 

Welcome to Open House Dublin 2010, which will take place from 7 to 10 October! Open House is a simple but powerful concept; it unlocks a city’s architectural heritage – both historic and contemporary – by providing tours of many buildings not usually open to the public.  Open House Dublin is a unique opportunity to explore the city in all its physical dimensions – from the intimacy of the private residence to the infinity of the large urban square.

The City Scale:  Big, Small and Global  

2010 will be an exceptional year in Irish architecture as it sees the completion of several large-scale projects in Dublin city. Ireland’s largest architectural event, Open House Dublin plans to give citizens and visitors a close look at these modern landmarks, from the undulating roofline of the new Aviva Stadium to the mesmerising form of the new Grand Canal Theatre and the tilted atrium of the National Conference Centre, reminiscent for many of a Dublin pint glass.

Juxtaposed with the larger scale, will be a diverse range of new residential and infill projects, from extensions to retrofits and new builds.  Many projects will show particular ingenuity in the area of energy use and adaptation. The focus will also be on practices, projects and ideas that have made an impact on the city, the region and on the global scale and several Dublin-based practices are currently creating key works abroad.

Building on last year’s success, Open House Dublin will feature an extended programme of workshops and tours for young people, Open House Junior. We will also expand our Open Space programme of popular walking and cycling tours with the arrival of the Dublin Bikes scheme.  The Open Debate will respond to important questions raised about scale and Dublin’s enduring debate about building height. Open House Dublin will explore buildings in their urban context, and show exemplars where ‘new’ meets ‘old’ in the city successfully.

We hope you will join us again in 2010 and mark the dates in your diary!

Check our website www.architecturefoundation.ie for regular programme updates.

Irish Architecture Foundation 
Nathalie Weadick, Director and Dr Sandra O’Connell, Curator Open House Dublin

 

Can Architecture Save the World? Have your say at Open Debate 2009
September 28 2009

On Thursday 8 October at Liberty Hall, broadcaster John Bowman will chair OPEN DEBATE, the popular opening event of the Irish Architecture Foundation’s OPEN HOUSE DUBLIN (8 to 11 October 2009), to ask “CAN ARCHITECTURE SAVE THE WORLD?”  

A panel of speakers featuring architects Shelly McNamara (Grafton Architects and winner of the World Architecture Award 2008) and Sean O Laoire (Murray O Laoire Architects), Evelyn Hanlon (urban regeneration and housing expert), Professor Frank Convery  (Chairman of Comhar Sustainable Development Council) and Kaethe Burt-O’Dea (founder of  Sitric Compost Community Garden, Stoneybatter) will join John Bowman in discussing the current state of architecture and its effects on the environment and on communities.  

The provocative title “Can Architecture save the world?” suggests that, on the one hand, architecture has a great power to transform and improve our lives, while an era of hyper-production has had repercussions on the landscape and communities. As Ireland’s economy and architecture finds itself in a crisis, this debate will think forward to the opportunities of the future.  

The Irish Architecture Foundation invites the public to submit questions for the panel in advance: ten questions will be selected by Mr Bowman for inclusion. Those selected should be present at Open Debate to pose their question on the night.  Members of the public can submit questions for consideration to info@architecturefoundation.ie by 12 noon on Friday October 2, including your name and a contact number.              

OPEN DEBATE takes place at 7pm (doors open at 6.30pm) on Thurs 8 October at Liberty Hall Theatre, Dublin 1.

Admission is FREE.  No booking necessary – seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis. Arrive early to avoid disappointment. For more information, see www.architecturefoundation.ie / 01.6074050

ABOUT THE OPEN DEBATE PANEL:

JOHN BOWMAN (CHAIR) Dr. John Bowman is an historian, political scientist and broadcaster. He presents current affairs and historical programmes for RTE radio and television. His book De Valera and the Ulster Question: 1917- 1973 won the Ewart-Biggs literary prize for its contribution to North-South understanding. He is a past president of the Irish Association for Economic, Cultural and Social Relations. He is currently researching a book to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Irish television.   

KAETHE BURT-O’DEA Kaethe Burt-O’Dea (MSc Arch AEES) is a healthcare design research consultant based in Dublin. Her area of interest is in the socio-cultural relationships that influence human well-being within the built environment. She is the founder of the Sitric Compost Community Garden, in StoneyBatter and desireland.  

PROFESSOR FRANK CONVERY Professor Convery is the Chairman of Comhar, Sustainable Development Council. Comhar is the forum for national consultation and dialogue on all issues relating to sustainable development.  

EVELYN HANLON Evelyn Hanlon has worked in the area of local government specialising in urban regeneration and housing for many years.  Most recently she has been involved in preparing a housing strategy as part of the Dublin City Development Plan 2011 to 2017.  She has also worked for the Ballymun, Liberties and Fatima projects and is now working on regenerating other local authority flat schemes in Dublin including St Michael’s and O’Devaney Gardens.  In the past she undertook a major piece of research for the city in relation to apartment living and how to make it more successful for owner-occupiers.     

SEÁN Ó LAOIRE Séan Ó Laoire studied architecture at University College Dublin, graduating in 1970, and for a Masters degree in Urban Design at the University of California in Los Angeles. He has worked in Italy, Britain and America before returning to Ireland, and he has lectured at the Dublin Institute of Technology. Elected Fellow of the RIAI in 1993, he was the recipient of the RIAI gold medal in 1996 and has written and lectured extensively in Ireland, UK, France and Canada. He has been appointed President of the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI) for the period 2007 –2009  

SHELLY MCNAMARA Shelley McNamara graduated from UCD in 1974 and is a founder member of Grafton Architects. The Luigi Bocconi University in Milan won the World Building of the Year Award, and an Award in the Learning Category, at the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona in 2008, the AAI Downes Medal 2008, and the RIAI Presidents Award 2009. Completed in 2007, the new Department of Finance on Merrion Row, Dublin, for the OPW received an AAI Special Award in 2008, and a British Civic Trust Award in 2009. She is a studio Lecturer in UCD since 1976 and currently teaching at the Accademia di Architettura, Mendrisio, Switzerland.     

ABOUT OPEN HOUSE DUBLIN:  Full programme available at www.architecturefoundation.ie/openhouse // 01.607 4050 and at the Temple Bar Information Centre, 12 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.

Irish Architecture Foundation presents ‘Open House Junior’ 2009
September 25 2009

The Irish Architecture Foundation is delighted to present OPEN HOUSE JUNIOR, an expanded children’s programme as part of OPEN HOUSE DUBLIN, which runs from October 8-11 2009.   

While Open House is generally a family-friendly event, OPEN HOUSE JUNIOR hopes to enrich the experience for our younger attenders with a programme of tours, workshops, discovery trails and activities devised by the IAF’s Education Curator Rachel McAree, who noted “Its inspiring to work with young people during Open House Junior, to see the city through youthful eyes and to meet the next generation of architects and urban planners.”  

Young people are invited to become architecture detectives, searching the city for clues with a Discovery Trail Activity Sheet, to work with an architect in Tallaght to create their Perfect Public Library, or be inspired by local architecture in the Sea City Scape Family Workshop to create a new skyline for Dún Laoghaire.  

Children can design and build a Mini-Metropolis at the Hugh Lane Gallery, or go ‘Exploring Shapes and Forms’ at the National Gallery of Ireland. ‘Students of the future’ can go on a special tour of Trinity College campus, with each participant receiving their own  ‘graduation certificate’ at the end.   

OPEN HOUSE JUNIOR 2009:  Full programme available at www.architecturefoundation.ie/openhouse // 01.607 4050 and at the Temple Bar Information Centre.  All events are FREE, but some require pre-booking. Pre-booking opens TODAY Monday Sept 28.  Presented by the Irish Architecture Foundation. Open House Junior has been devised in conjunction with Dublin City Council, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, South Dublin County Council, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin City Gallery the Hugh Lane and Trinity College Dublin.

Minister for the Environment opens the door on Open House Dublin 2009
September 15 2009

At an event in chq, Dublin’s Docklands tonight, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government announced this year’s OPEN HOUSE DUBLIN programme, which runs from October 8-11, and introduced OPEN HOUSE GALWAY, which runs in the western city the following weekend, October 16-18.

This year’s theme of ‘Next Generation Architecture’ takes a look at the legacy of the Celtic Tiger years, showing innovative buildings that could point the way to more sustainable development, as well as inventive and ingenious (and often small-scale) work by the current young generation of architects. Featuring 160 building tours, events, talks and workshops, OPEN HOUSE DUBLIN 2009 epitomises a generation of architects and architecture that have emerged from an era of unprecedented growth.

Speaking at the launch Minister Gormley said, “Whether it is through designing the next generation of sustainable buildings or developing expert retrofit solutions, architects are constantly engaged in creative problem solving and Open House showcases their innovation alongside our architectural heritage.” Minister Gormley also welcomes the extension of the Open House concept beyond Dublin with the first ever Open House Galway: “This is an exciting development and clearly several more cities around the country possess interesting architecture that may have potential to be explored in future events”.  

Open House allows people to experience buildings up close, and in a new and exciting way: through building visits and walking tours over one weekend in October, many led by architects and designers. Speaking about some of this year’s highlights, Open House Dublin Curator Sandra O’Connell said “Open House Dublin gives a voice to these exceptional buildings and places their intrinsic ambitions and built-in aspirations centre stage, elucidated by their protagonists – their architects, their owners and their occupants, without whose passion and support we could not deliver this event.”  

Also speaking this evening, Nathalie Weadick, Director of the Irish Architecture Foundation, added: “Open House Dublin is a significant project for the Irish Architecture Foundation, because it helps us communicate the value of architecture to everybody who uses it. How we (public, architects, government, communities) plan and build our environment conveys a lot about our priorities at a given time in history, society, politics and culture.”

More than 40% of this year’s programme is new, and some of the major additions to this year’s programme include stunning buildings not usually open to the public such as architect-designed private homes in Howth, Killester and Dalkey, landmark public offices such as the new Eircom Headquarters at Heuston South Quarter by Anthony Reddy Associates, or pieces of essential infrastructure, including a sculptural pumphouse in Clontarf by dePaor architects.   

Others are buildings that we engage with on a daily basis such as our schools, civic offices, community centres and cultural buildings – and even the new Irishtown Garda Station by OPW Architects - however OPEN HOUSE DUBLIN invites citizens to look at these everyday buildings anew and explore what makes them stand out as, in many cases, award-winning buildings of architectural merit.  

Returning this year after last year’s massive success is OPEN DEBATE (October 8, Liberty Hall Dublin), which this year asks CAN ARCHITECTURE SAVE THE WORLD?, and educating children about the value of architecture is a focus of this year’s OPEN HOUSE JUNIOR with a series of exciting workshops. OPEN SPACE returns with a diverse programme of walking, cycling and boat tours, and OPEN MINDS, an extended programme of talks and exhibitions, explores topical issues.   

OPEN HOUSE DUBLIN: Full programme available at www.architecturefoundation.ie/openhouse from Sept 15 and at the Temple Bar Information Centre from Sept 21.  Pre-booking open on Monday Sept 28. More information at 01.6074050 from Sept 21.

Presented by the Irish Architecture Foundation and curated  by Dr. Sandra Andrea O’Connell.    

OPEN HOUSE GALWAY: Full programme and prebooking available at  www.architecturefoundation.ie/openhousegalway from Sept 21.  Presented by the Steering Committee in partnership with the Irish Architecture Foundation.

Long Lead Press Release
June 02 2009

OPEN HOUSE 2009: NEXT GENERATION ARCHITECTURE IN DUBLIN AND GALWAY

Open House Dublin: 8-11 October // Open House Galway: 16-18 October

The Irish Architecture Foundation (IAF) is delighted to announce the fourth annual Open House Dublin – where over one weekend, buildings selected for their architectural quality and interest open their doors to the public –from 8 to 11 October 2009.

OPEN HOUSE DUBLIN will put the spotlight this year on innovative 'next generation' buildings, from the small scale of the private house - such as an A3-Rated (BER) Family Home in Rathmines by FKLarchitects - to corporate headquarters including the landmark Eircom 1 South Quarter by Anthony Reddy Associates in Kilmainham, designed to drastically reduce energy consumption.

Buildings in the 2009 programme range from the secular to the sacred with the multi-award winning Pump House in Clontarf by de Paor Architects and a new Parish Centre for the Church of St George and St Thomas in Dublin by Clancy Moore Architects. Pioneering new housing schemes such as O'Donnell + Tuomey's Timberyard are featured alongside new community centres such as Ballyfermot Youth and Leisure Centre by McGarry Ni Eanaigh. "Whether it is through designing the next generation of sustainable buildings or developing expert retrofit solutions – architects are constantly engaged in creative problem solving and Open House showcases their innovation" , says Programme Curator Dr Sandra O’Connell.

In addition, a special educational programme will enthuse children and young adults about architecture and their environment and the popular Open Debate returns with a panel of architects, urban designers and economists, debating the need for innovative solutions to designing for communities in the current economic climate.

Going nationwide for the first time this year, buildings of architectural quality and interest will open their doors to the public in OPEN HOUSE GALWAY from 16 to 18 October 2009. “We are delighted to introduce Open House to Galway” , says Lorna Maguire, Coordinator. “We have put together an exciting programme of architecturally-interesting buildings both in the city and its environs. These include private residential and public buildings ranging from contemporary, energy-efficient homes to commercial, public and educational buildings, incorporating sustainable materials and quality design.”

The Irish Architecture Foundation, who delivered its first Open House Dublin in 2006, has firmly established the project as Ireland’s largest architectural event with an estimated 15,000 people taking to the streets at almost 140 events, ranging from building, walking, boat and cycling tours, to explore their city’s architecture. The IAF is delighted to welcome the expansion of Open House beyond Dublin in 2009 and looks forward to the event growing nationally over the coming years.

All Open House events are free of charge, and only a small proportion will require pre-booking. A full programme of events will be available (print and online) in early September 2009.