We are pleased to announce that the circular economy  and spatial equity are among the topics of talks to be delivered by maverick, change-making, influential designer Maarten Gielen and architects Jos Boys and Richard Dougherty for the 10th anniversary edition of the New Now Next series, presented by the Irish Architecture Foundation (IAF) and supported by Arup.

• Maarten Gielen, Wednesday, 25 May

Maarten Gielen co-founded Brussels-based Rotor in 2006 where he currently works as a designer,  researcher and manager. Rotor champions the re-use of construction materials and advocates for designing buildings with re-use in mind. Drawing on a 10-year experience in deconstruction, logistics, architecture and building design with used materials, Maarten currently manages the spin-off Rotor DC (Deconstruction), which he co-founded in 2014, which dismantles, salvages and sells re-used building materials.

You can watch Maarten Gielen’s talk here.

• Jos Boys and Richard Dougherty, Wednesday, 1 June

Jos Boys is a co-founder of the influential 1980s feminist architecture practice and research group Matrix Design Co-operative, which was the subject of a recent major exhibition at the Barbican, London. In this talk, Jos will discuss the work of The DisOrdinary Architecture Project, of which she is co-founder with Zoe Partington. This is an informal  platform, which, since 2008, has been developing and promoting new models of practice for the built environment, led by the creativity and experiences of disabled and deaf artists. She will demonstrate how disability can be a creative generator rather than a ‘problem’ for design; and will explore the creative potential of valuing the richness of our bio- and neuro-diversity — not just for the design of built space but also for critically challenging conventional forms of architectural education and practice.

Jos will be joined by Belfast-based architect Richard Dougherty, who was born profoundly deaf. Richard is a Design Council UK Expert, Interim Chair for Action Deaf Youth and Director of Richard Lyndon Design. He was previously an Associate at Hall McKnight Architects in Belfast, where he was a lead on design and master-planning work for the prestigious Gallaudet University for the Deaf in Washington DC. He will discuss his  collaboration with DisOrdinary Architecture (together with deaf architectural consultant Chris Laing and disabled artist Zoe Partington) for a festival project design in Braunschweig Germany that starts from the sensory and performative space of deaf culture and sign language.

You can watch Jos Boys and Richard Dougherty’s talk here.

Announcing the 2022 line-up, Nathalie Weadick, Director of the IAF, said: “The IAF recognises the need for us in Ireland to fundamentally evolve the processes, components and systems of how we design and construct our built environment, to ensure our cities and towns respond to the urgent needs of all of society and the environment. To facilitate this pressing moment and to mark 10 years with Arup, we have invited three influential speakers who have been recognised as the pioneers of change within their own cities and communities. Their experience and expertise is totally relevant to our own situation, and I am looking forward to being inspired and emboldened.” 

Commenting on the announcement, Rory McGowan, Director at Arup, said: “New Now Next has gone from strength to strength since its inception ten years ago. The calibre of speakers it attracts to Dublin is breathtaking. This year’s line-up is one of the best yet, and they will be addressing some of the most pressing issues facing the building and design community today, including sustainability. We are delighted to have been on board as supporters from the very start and into today.”

Photo by Damien Eagers.

Accessibility: 

The Irish Architecture Foundation endeavours to offer programmes that are accessible and inclusive to all. We offer live closed captioning at our public seminars. Click here to download a user guide for My Clear Text StreamText.

If you have additional accessibility needs, please contact us at info@architecturefoundation.ie.