This national programme was devised and is delivered by the Irish Architecture Foundation. Now in its 11th year, the programme is funded by the Arts Council of Ireland, The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and The Department of Education.

This celebrated programme is reaching 55 secondary schools across Ireland in 2023/24. A team of 40 architects and architectural graduates are currently delivering school-based design workshops, increasing opportunities for Transition Year students to connect with the artform of architecture and their local built environment.

How to apply for Architects in Schools:

Schools: 

The programme is free and is open to all schools interested in participating. Teachers or Transition Year coordinators apply on behalf of their school via an online form. You can choose either Programme A (12 hours of workshops) or Programme B (3-hour workshop). The selection is made via an annual open call announced in the News section of this website each May. Please sign up for our newsletter to receive regular updates.

Architects:

If you are an architect or architectural graduate with a degree in architecture and an interest in teaching, facilitation and/or public engagement, this is an excellent opportunity to share your enthusiasm about architecture with young people. We offer a fee of €60/hour (incl. VAT) and structured CPD points. The time commitment is either 20 hours (Programme A: 12 hours of workshops, 8 hours preparation) or 5 hours (Programme B: 3-hour workshop, 2 hours preparation) per school per academic year. You can choose to work with between 1 and 3 schools on a flexible schedule arranged between you and the school. The selection is made via an annual open call announced in the News section of this website each June. Please sign up for our newsletter to receive regular updates.

Timeline:

The Architects in Schools programme runs from September to May each academic year, with the main workshop activity taking place between October and March. The workshop schedule is agreed locally between the assigned architect and each individual school. An annual 1-day exhibition for teachers, students and architects takes place in mid-May.

Cross-curricular links:

Through Architects in Schools, students experience architecture through hands-on design workshops. The programme complements many Senior Cycle subjects, including Art, Maths, Physics, Design and Communication Graphics, Construction Studies, English, History and Geography, encouraging cross-curricular links.

Learning: 

The experiential student-led approach supports both individual and collective learning opportunities in areas including design, visual communication and debating. The programme also enhances critical thinking, imagination and innovation. Each architect, teacher and group of students brings their own unique perspective. This means that each workshop series is original and context specific.

Career awareness: 

Working closely with architectural professionals enables students to gain an insight into working life and to enhance their awareness of career opportunities in architecture and related disciplines.

Resources: 

The programme is supported by colourful and engaging resources: Architects in Schools Student Handbook and Architects in Schools Facilitator Handbook.

Find out more: 

This 12-minute film, commissioned for the Architects in Schools exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland – Country Life in 2022, gives a good overview of the programme. The film complemented displays of 3D models and 2D drawings created by Transition Year students in 2021/22 in response to themes of home, community and sustainability. Hear directly from young people in 3 schools as they express their ideas and reflect on their experience.