Open House Dublin 2009 to showcase green buildings

The Irish Architecture Foundation has announced its fourth annual Open House Dublin event. Over the weekend of October 8 to 11, buildings in Dublin selected for their architectural quality and interest will be open to the public.

This year, Open House Dublin will focus on innovative ‘next generation’ buildings, from the small scale - such as an A3-rated family home in Rathmines by FKLarchitects - to corporate headquarters including the new Eircom building in Kilmainham by Anthony Reddy Associates, designed with drastically reduce energy consumption in mind.

Other buildings in the 2009 programme include the 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 the 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”, said programme curator Dr Sandra O’Connell.

A special educational element of the programme will be aimed at children and young adults, while a panel of architects, urban designers and economists will host an open discussion on the need for innovative solutions for designing communities in the current economic climate.

In addition to Open House Dublin, a similar event will be held in Galway from October 16 to 18. “We are delighted to introduce Open House to Galway”, said co-ordinator Lorna Maguire. “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, which started Open House Dublin in 2006, said the project is now Ireland's largest architectural event.