March is the month in which St Patrick's Day is celebrated, a tribute to the patron saint of Ireland who died on March 17, 461. In addition to the religious celebration, St Patrick's Day is marked by great parties in the streets, bars and pubs of English colonized countries such as Canada, the United States and, of course, the Republic of Ireland.
The Republic of Ireland is located on the Island of Ireland, northwest of Continental Europe and borders Northern Ireland, one of the countries that make up the United Kingdom, from which it gained independence at the beginning of the 20th century, in 1919, after an intense conflict. Since the War of Independence, the country has struggled to value and recognize its local culture, including its architecture, whether historical or contemporary. Get to know a little more about the country's architecture through the work of the seven contemporary practices gathered below.
Grafton Architects
After graduating from University College Dublin in 1974, Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara co-founded Grafton Architects in 1978, an international practice based in Dublin. Together they also have a long teaching partnership and important architectural entities, as in 2018 when they were curators of the Venice Architecture Biennale, or even in 2020 when they were awarded the Pritzker Prize.
McCullough Mulvin Architects
Valerie Mulvin and Niall McCullough founded the office in the 1980s and have been working with their partners over the years on projects that express what they believe to be the purpose of architecture, to explore space and time in its current context. Their projects are based on sustainable principles and respect for people, materials and culture, being specialists in careful interventions in the existing urban fabric.
MacGabhann Architects
The firm originates in Ireland in the 1970s, with Antoin MacGabhann developing projects locally, but it is from the 1990s onwards when his sons, architect Tarla MacGabhann and civil engineer Antoin MacGabhann, approached and turned it into an international office. For the family, the client is the center of the project and time is not spared to better understand their needs.
TAKA Architects
Guided by Alice Casey and Cian Deegan, TAKA Architects takes a careful and economical approach to materials and construction, prioritizing sustainability. The work is developed through close collaboration with clients, professional consultants and specialist manufacturers to ensure that project ambitions are met and exceeded.
tob Architect
Created in 2013 by Thomas O’Brien, the Irish architectural firm works from a critical architecture that evokes the senses. Exploring materiality and spatial quality and dialoguing with history, economy, environment and local context, the work is done in a collaborative way among construction professionals, architects and clients.
Scullion Architects
Founded by Declan Sculion in 2016, Scullion Architects provides services to public and private sectors. Its work is characterized by paying special attention to user experience, in addition to the interest in doing things with quality. Still new, the practice has already accumulated important awards such as RIAI Home of The Year 2020.
Robert Bourke Architects
After extensive experience working in European cities, Robert Bourke founded Robert Bourke Architects in 2010. Its practice ranges from single-family housing to community, education or office buildings. Its projects are developed through an open, collaborative and exploratory process, resulting in spaces of unique character, with integrity and material wealth. It seeks to create an architecture that is socially conscious, environmentally responsible and timeless in its aesthetics.
