Our Reimagine programme is hosting a seminar and series of three site visits to help you connect with others doing the same.

The CSO reported 166,752 vacant houses and apartments in Census 2022. While there are many reasons that homes and other buildings lie empty, with the current housing and climate crisis we have a responsibility to find new ways of bringing these buildings back into use.

New Life for Old Buildings is a new strand of our Reimagine placemaking programme, aimed specifically at supporting owners and managers of vacant properties to put them back into use.

Join us for a free seminar on Friday 10 February, 3pm, in the Science Gallery Dublin, to hear from experts in policy and practice Alison Harvey (founder and head of the Collaborative Town Centre Health Check programme, The Heritage Council), Shaheena Din (National Project Manager, Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, Shelter Scotland), Emmet Walsh (EWA Architects, proposer of The Working Home in Housing Unlocked), and Nick Taaffe (Chartered Surveyor and converter of a vacant barbershop into a home in Dún Laoghaire).

The talks will be followed by a tour of the Housing Unlocked exhibition, with a focus on proposals for bringing vacant properties back into use. Admission is free, but booking is required.

This seminar will be followed by a series of three site visits in different regions of Ireland, where you can see first-hand works-in-progress, meet the owners, ask questions, and share practical know-how with your peers over a cuppa.

The first site visit is to Nick Taaffe’s project in Dún Laoghaire, on Saturday 11 February, 11am-1pm. Places are very limited and there is a nominal fee of €5.00. Read more and book your place through the New Life for Old Buildings Site Visit Series: Dún Laoghaire page.

Stay tuned for details of the further two site visits this spring!

New Life for Old Buildings is part of the IAF’s Reimagine placemaking programme and supported by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.