It’s been quite a year in the Irish Architecture Foundation, with a record-breaking five curated exhibitions around Ireland, including Tom dePaor’s “i see Earth” at VISUAL Carlow and with “There is a forest” touring to the Tallinn Architecture Biennale after its debut at Solstice Arts Centre, Navan.

New Now Next talks brought world-changing architects and designers Maarten Gielen, Jos Boys and Richard Dougherty to Dublin and online audiences this spring.

We had a packed-out Open House Dublin festival, which took place across 100+ iconic and unique locations around the city and county, with improved accessibility. We are committed to enhancing the accessibility and inclusivity of all we do, in line with our new Audience Development Strategy.

Through our learning programmes, over 70 schools were involved in Architects in Schools nationally in the 2021/22 school year and again in 2022/23, and we co-produced a first-of-its-kind Architects in Schools exhibition of student work with the National Museum of Ireland – Country Life in May.

Our three-part Summer School featured ANNEX and friends in Galway city and county and online. For the next three years, we will offer Summer Schools and Writing Awards as part of the new LINA platform, which came into being this year.

Our Reimagine programme hosted a series of cafés and workshops for those involved or interested in placemaking. The work, vision and voices of Reimagine Workers’ Villages project communities are presented in the Workers’ Villages exhibition now on at the Science Gallery Dublin.

We recently launched the Hometown Architect open call (accepting submissions until 16 January) and recruited our next Director, Emmett Scanlon.

Our ambitious Housing Unlocked exhibition showcases eight architect-led proposals to unlock housing potential in Ireland’s villages, towns and cities. The exhibition and public programme are continuing in the Science Gallery Dublin into the new year, with plenty to see and do every week.

But right now, we have something to ask you:

If you enjoy our programming and believe that architecture has the power to transform lives and culture, will you support our work by becoming an IAF Friend or by gifting IAF Friendship to an architecture lover in your life this Christmas?

We are a charity and rely on membership and sponsorship as well as state funding in order to continue bringing architecture alive as an art form and civic right in Ireland. We do this through innovative and challenging exhibits, talks, tours, workshops, placemaking and open call opportunities, and by engaging the next generation in design thinking and active citizenship to shape their world.

If this work is important to you, please visit the Support Us page to sign up or gift our Friendship today, from as little as €50/year (€30 concession).

We look forward to welcoming you into our community of supporters, with invitations to private tours and events, special Friends-only updates, and our newsletter packed with innovative and inspiring news and events year-round.

Thank you!

Happy Christmas and New Year from all in the IAF!