Our first Reimagine Session of 2023 will bring people together to discuss the future of vacant buildings in our towns and villages.

The Central Statistics Office reported 166,752 vacant houses and apartments in Census 2022. While there are many reasons that homes lie empty, with the current housing and climate crisis we have a responsibility to find new ways of bringing these buildings back into use. We are excited to bring together an interesting line-up of speakers who will share ideas, case studies and initiatives, with the aim of inspiring discussion, ideas and action.

Presenting at this event will be:

• Alison Harvey, The Heritage Council
• Shaheena Din, Scottish Empty Homes Partnership
• Emmet Walsh, EWA Architects and The Working-Home
• Nick Taaffe, Chartered Surveyor and host of the 11 February site visit to his converted barbershop

This event is hosted as part of the Irish Architecture Foundation’s Housing Unlocked exhibition. Audience members are invited to stay after the event for a special short tour of the Housing Unlocked exhibition, focusing specifically on projects that explore the adaptive reuse of vacant buildings.

Are you undertaking your own building reuse project? You might be interested in joining a special site visit on 11 February of the project that guest speaker Nick Taaffe is undertaking in Dún Laoghaire. For more information and to register, visit the Dún Laoghaire Site Visit page.

The New Life for Old Buildings events are supported by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Visitor information:

The gallery is open Tuesday-Friday 12-5pm, Saturday 2-5pm until 17 February 2023 (but closed for the holidays 18 December-2 January).

Admission is free, and no booking is required to see the Housing Unlocked and Workers’ Villages exhibitions.

Free, drop-in tours take place every Tuesday and Thursday, 1pm and Saturday, 3pm.

Accessibility: Entrance is at ground level. Some displays are on the first floor. Please ask the gallery attendants to guide you to the lift if needed. Audio recordings of Housing Unlocked exhibition panel text are available via QR codes on the panels and on the exhibition webpages for the displays.

Housing Unlocked is a partnership between the Irish Architecture Foundation and The Housing Agency, sponsored by The Housing Agency with additional support from The Arts Council, The Land Development Agency, the New European Bauhaus, and venue partner Trinity College Dublin. The exhibition and public programme are curated by the Irish Architecture Foundation.

Photo by Bryan Brophy.