Repurposing banks and commercial buildings, converting churches to houses, and modular living are just a selection of the eight ideas chosen to feature in the upcoming Housing Unlocked exhibition exploring ways to improve Ireland’s housing sector. 

The eight innovative proposals have been selected following an open call for ideas from architects, who teamed up with professionals from a variety of disciplines and members of the public to submit ideas to solve housing issues in Ireland’s cities, towns and villages. The open call was the first phase of the IAF’s Housing Unlocked initiative in partnership with The Housing Agency, which will culminate in a public exhibition curated by the IAF in a pop-up venue in Dublin this autumn. Each of the eight selected projects will receive funding of €7,500 to develop their proposals into an exhibition piece that demonstrates the impact that implementing their idea would have on unlocking Ireland’s housing potential.

Selected Ideas 

A high-profile jury of national and international experts selected the eight ideas that will feature in the exhibition. These are: 

• Home4Community by JFOC Architects and collaborators Common Ground Community Led Housing, Lagan Homes and FastHouse
• Eco:Cube – A Modular Living Concept by Derek Murphy (O’Mahony Pike Architects), Barry Doyle and Chris O’Grady (KSN Project Managers), Shaun Doody and William Forsyth (O’Connor Sutton Cronin Consulting Engineers)
• Model Housing – Urban Horticulture by Marcus Donaghy, Will Dimond, Beibhinn Delaney and Joe Moran (Donaghy + Dimond Architects), Finola O’Kane and Alan Mee (School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, UCD)
• Thirty-Three Churches by David Lawless (architect) and Sophie Kelliher (researcher)
• Building Societies by Tom Cookson (architect) and Sarah Carroll (architect)
• Start Spreading the Mews by Stephen Foley and Sara Acebes Anta (SFA42 Architects) and Stephen Wall (researcher)
• The Working-Home by Emmet Walsh (EWA Architects) and Fiona Gill (educator)
• Join the Dots – 100 Small Ideas for Sustainable Change by Valerie Mulvin (McCullough Mulvin Architects), Barry Durkan (sustainability advisor), Graeme Hansell (fire safety engineer), Paul Guinan (graphic designer) and Jack Carter (local collaborator).

Speaking at the announcement of the selected ideas, IAF Director Nathalie Weadick said: “The standard of entries to the call for ideas for Housing Unlocked was exceptionally high, and we are delighted to see such a mix of creative, practical ideas. The eight ideas selected to feature in our upcoming exhibition showcase the high quality and ambitious nature of the architecture and design sector in Ireland, combining improvements to the current systems and also bringing new technologies and methodologies to bear. We hope that the impact of these eight ideas will go beyond the exhibition, and will bring about real change in our housing system, creating inclusive, sustainable homes and communities.” 

Also speaking at the announcement was Bob Jordan, CEO of The Housing Agency, who said: “The innovation and creativity demonstrated in the selected entries is hugely energising, demonstrating the breadth of creativity and forward-thinking that exists across the housing sector in Ireland. We are also pleased to see a regional spread of proposals, from Dublin to Laois and indeed applicable to every town and village in Ireland. At The Housing Agency, we understand the value and importance of collaboration when it comes to delivering housing and providing solutions, and we are delighted with the quality of entries received and the ideas they have sparked.” 

Over the coming months, the IAF will work with each of these teams to further develop their ideas and hone their exhibition pieces in advance of the exhibition opening to the public this autumn.

Read about the winning entries and get a glimpse of what’s in store on the Housing Unlocked Winners page.

Image by the Model Housing – Urban Horticulture team; used with permission.