On Monday 12 May we held our annual Architects in Schools exhibition and exchange day, showcasing the learning, architectural drawings and models of participating students from across the country.

Architects in Schools is the IAF’s national post-primary programme, which provides Transition Year students with first-hand experience of the design process under the guidance of architects and architecture graduates nationwide. The youth voice is central to this programme, as we aim to empower young people to become thoughtful stewards of the built environment and to increase their understanding and appreciation of architecture. For many students, this is their first encounter with architecture as a skillset, a tool for active citizenship, and a potential career option.

Now in its twelfth year, 1000 students from 40 schools across 15 counties participated in Architects in Schools, with 31 architects involved in leading school workshops.

On 12 May, students from 11 of these schools across the country came together in Dublin to display, present, and discuss their own work at the exhibition and exchange day, which was held at the dlr LexIcon library. The exchange day also included a tour of the LexIcon building.

The Architects in Schools programme is supported by the Arts Council, Department of Education and Youth, and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Applications for the Architects in Schools programme 2025/26 will open soon.

Photo by Paul Sherwood Photography.