From the RIAI and RIBA to Design Week Dublin …
New RIAI President
Fionnuala May FRIAI is the new President for the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland. As County Architect for Fingal, she has extensive experience in delivering public projects, including housing, public realm and urban regeneration of towns as well as the conservation and adaptive reuse of older buildings. She argues that high quality architecture in buildings and places can be drivers of climate resilience, social cohesion, cultural vibrancy, and economic growth – key ingredients for the creation of sustainable communities. Fionnuala is also passionate about creating liveable cities, with access to affordable housing and quality place-making. Having raised her family in the north inner city, she has seen at first hand benefits that urban regeneration can bring to an area. As a Grade 1 Conservation Architect, Fionnuala also has a deep appreciation of the ingenuity of the people designing and building in the past, and believes historic buildings contribute not only to their own site, but to our towns, cities and neighbourhoods – they are part of the DNA of our environment.
RIAI Silver Medal
An exemplary student housing project in Dublin, Highfield Park by DTA Architects, has received the highest housing award in Ireland from the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland. The medal is awarded several years after completion so that the success of the building can be confirmed by the passage of time. The award is for the period 2020-2021. The Jury praised the urban quality of the project, its emphasis on place-making and positive contribution to the overall neighbourhood, noting how the integrated public realm treatment and a series of landscaped open spaces foster a sense of community and shared experiences. The Silver Medal for Housing was jointly presented by Minister Dara Calleary TD and RIAI President Fionnuala May FRIAI at the RIAI and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Joint Housing Conference in Sligo.
Ber Grogan, Dermot Bannon and Kathryn Meghen
Meet An Architect
The RIAI Simon Open Door programme runs until April 19, offering homeowners across Ireland a opportunity to receive expert advice from an RIAI Registered Architect, while supporting the work of Simon Communities of Ireland. For a €125 donation, homeowners receive a one-hour consultation with a Registered Architect to discuss home improvements, as Dermot Bannon MRIAI, campaign spokesperson explains: “Through the Simon Open Door Initiative, homeowners have the opportunity to receive expert guidance on making their homes more inclusive, sustainable and future-ready, while also supporting vulnerable people in our communities.” Kathryn Meghen, CEO of RIAI added, “We are very proud of this initiative, which has been running for 22 years. It provides a great opportunity for the architectural profession to help homeowners get the best from their living environment while supporting those without a place to call home.”
RIBA Royal Gold Medal
Irish architect, educator and writer, Níall McLaughlin FRIAI will receive the 2026 Royal Gold Medal for Architecture from the Royal Institute of British Architects. One of the world’s highest honours in the field, the medal recognises Níall’s resounding impact spanning architectural practice, thinking, writing and education. The RIBA Honours Jury 2026 hailed Níall as a “pivotal figure in contemporary architecture”, whose work “not only enriches the architectural profession but also addresses its evolving challenges”.
Grounded in the belief that success is collective, Níall’s work is marked by a deliberate modesty and commitment to their users, as shown in the cloud-like Bandstand at Bexhill, the calm orthogonal pavilions of the Alzheimer’s Respite Centre in Dublin, the latticed timber oval of the Bishop Edward King Chapel in Oxford (2013) and the simple brick volumes of The New Library Magdalene College, which went on to win the 2022 Stirling Prize. The practice has also designed award-winning houses in Ireland and received the RIAI’s coveted Public Choice Award for the International Rugby Experience, Limerick. Recently, Níall McLaughlin Architects won a major international architectural competition for the Museum of Jesus’ Baptism in Bethany, Jordan, pictured.
Design Diary Date
Following the success of last year’s inaugural Design Week Dublin, in partnership with Range Rover, DWD will run from September 17-20 2026. There’s a fantastic programme in store including an unmissable series of inperson talks with the Irish designers shaping the world of architecture, interiors and fashion. For more details, see designweekdublin.com.
