Last week, we launched the Community Vision for Garristown. This action plan was developed over a 10 month period with a strong emphasis on extensive community engagement throughout.
It began with a survey that captured the experiences of living in Garristown and where there may be room for improvement. The results from this survey informed a series of in-person consultation events with the wider public as well as focused consultations with the different stakeholders and the youth at St. Mary’s National School in the early summer months. Using this data, we analysed the strengths, constraints, opportunities and threats for the future development of Garristown. A draft version of the potential action areas were outlined and presented to the community for feedback at the annual Garristown Festival. In this way, the ideas were generated with the community during the various consultations. There are a wide range of ideas presented that serve to balance it so that there is something for everyone, and to represent the whole of the Garristown community more fully.
Our big take away from the engagement was that any action plan would need to increase capacity within the community as the critical baseline for further actions. Therefore, the range of ideas were offered in the hope that some may spark more of the community to get involved in the delivery or to form connections with others who might be key enablers.
To help us structure the delivery timeline, we highlighted three core aims of this vision:
- The first aim focused on local actions to enhance community mobilisation and attract new volunteers within the first year.
- The second aim is to develop a greater variety of recreational spaces in the village. This will build on previous actions to evolve over a five year period.
- The third aim is to increase community-owned and operated facilities. This will likely require a longer period of ten years to carry out the preparatory work and gain community support.
This project was a collaboration with @_newpractice and @civic_thrivingtogether
This project was funded by @dublin_rural_leader
#smartvillage #ruralireland
HouseEurope!
Every minute, one building is demolished in Europe.
We are proud to present the work of HouseEurope!, an award-winning activist organisation campaigning to change European law to prevent unnecessary demolition of existing buildings.
With films, posters and an Irish case study of a demolition story, at a time of climate crisis and housing shortage, this exhibition prompts collective local action against our self-destruction.
The exhibition at our temporary venue for architecture, IAF House, also features a unique, large-scale presentation of a building on O’ Connell Street photographed by Rich Gilligan.
The @houseeurope.eu exhibition is presented in collaboration with @islanderarchitects . To sign the petition, go to @houseeurope.eu@demolitiontakedown
Photography: @ste_murray@pictureitpix@richgilligan
We are delighted to announce that Islander Architects have won the RIAI Emerging Practice Award 2025.
The jury citation was as follows:
"What especially distinguished Islander was the range of work and their engagement in all aspects of architecture. There is a consistency to their work that emerges from an underlying commitment to “tackle the climate emergency”. From small built interventions that actively query scale and push for the possibilities in adaptation, to small scale urban, exhibition and writing, theirs is a focused practice that believes in the power of architecture to engage with the broader issues in society.
They are doing exciting work across a number of different spheres and scales and the selection panel is excited to see the work they produce in the future."
In the next few weeks, @islanderarchitects will celebrate its 5th anniversary. Figuratively speaking, us ‘Islanders’ have felt lost at sea at times trying to chart a new course, over these past few years.So in many ways this award feels like we are catching sight of the mainland, with you all gathered around the harbour to encourage our journey onwards.
In our own way, we have tried to expand the practice of architecture because we believe in the capacity of this profession to do better for the next generations. We have tried to be proactive by searching for a resilient profession that might withstand the pressures coming at us from the competitive nature of capitalist production.
In order to get to this point, we have relied on a number of open calls and collaborations. These provided us with the means and opportunities to be positive disruptors and agents of change. Without the @riaionline@workhouseunion , @soa_irl , @creativeireland and the @irisharchitecturefoundation championing emerging practices like ourselves, this would be impossible. Their support has allowed us to research, exhibit and to pursue an expanded practice, and for that, we are forever grateful.
Photographs by Jeff Harvey
We send our warmest congratulations to Laura Carroll and Ciarán Molumby of Islander Architects, just named as the 2025 recipients of the RIAI Emerging Practice Award.
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The IAF has supported this inspiring pair of architects through our @iaf_gaplab programme, intended to support risk, new knowledge and creativity in architecture. They have made an important contribution to this programme, influencing and supporting their peers with their intelligence, creativity and generosity.
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With IAF, Islander have brought HouseEurope! to Dublin as part of exhibitions and talks this autumn, with their work on demolition being both vital and brave in our current climate.
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Well done to Laura and Ciarán and much continued success!
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📸 by @mylesshelly as part of an IAF commission and collaboration for gapLab
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#IAFgapLab #RIAIConference
For @openhousedublin we are proud to present for the first time in Ireland the work of HouseEurope!, an award-winning activist organisation campaigning to change European law to prevent unnecessary demolition of existing buildings.
With films, posters and case studies, a time of climate crisis and housing shortage this exhibition prompts collective local action against our self-destruction.
Drop-in to visit this exhibition and more at IAF House throughout the festival. Exhibition closes 29 November. Link in bio.
@islanderarchitects and the @irisharchitecturefoundation are proud to be the Irish national organising members of the @houseeurope.eu campaign.

Open Table: Demolition
IAF House, Charlemont Square, Saint Kevin's, Dublin
Dates & Times
Thursday 16 October
1:00PM - 2:00PM
Tour type
Open House Extra
Open Table
Talks & Conversations
Tour Information +
Does it matter if we demolish buildings? What do we lose versus what do we gain? In this conversation for @irisharchitecturefoundation@openhousedublin , we are joined by HouseEurope! who will unpack the myths behind the need for demolition in cities and show how reusing what we have is better value for money and our future heritage.
Open Table 2025 empowers people to participate in expert-led discussions on the topics of Diaspora, Diversity, Design, Demolition and Democracy.
This Open Table will be hosted by Ludwig Engel of @houseeurope.eu , and @islanderarchitects founders, Laura Carroll and Ciarán Molumby.
The Open Table series takes place at IAF House at Charlemont Square, Dublin 2. Places are limited so book early. Lunch will be provided. Link in bio.
Every minute, one building is demolished in Europe. Why is this happening? Could these buildings be put to better use?
Delighted to be working alongside the @irisharchitecturefoundation participating in Open House Dublin this year through Exhibit A: with films, posters and a case study focusing on the former DIT, Kevin Street campus, at a time of climate crisis and housing shortage this exhibition prompts collective local action against our self-destruction.
Drop-in to visit this exhibition and more at IAF House throughout the festival. Exhibition opens 4th October and closes 29 November.
#whatawaste #demolitiontakedown #openhousedublin #iaf #architectureexhibition #irisharchitecture #exhibita
#betweenrubbleandregret
How @demolitiontakedown explores waste within the construction industry.
Demolition TakeDown is a research and engagement initiative aimed at transforming Ireland’s demolition practices. The project uncovers the underlying motivations and current challenges behind these practices in Ireland. Through explorative research and cross-disciplinary conversations, Demolition Takedown aims to shift attitudes and behaviours in the construction industry.
Demolition TakeDown by @islanderarchitects was a recipient of Creative Ireland’s Creative Climate Action fund in partnership with the @architecture_tudublin .
Nearly a fifth of Ireland’s buildings are historic or traditionally built, being constructed from stone or brick, many are underused, vacant, or derelict.
These structures not only embody our cultural heritage but also represent a significant resource.
By carefully adapting and reusing these buildings, we can help lower carbon emissions and create much needed spaces for homes, businesses, and communities.
We will be speaking at the 2nd Annual Galway City Architectural Conservation Gathering, WORKING BACK = MOVING FORWARD, which focuses on this historic potential, bringing leading voices from urban design, architecture, and conservation for an all day event focused on the adaptive reuse and conservation of historic buildings / places. Link in bio to book your free ticket
Speakers include: Valerie Mulvin (McCullough Mulvin Architects), Nicki Matthews (National Built Heritage Service), Triona Stack (UCD), Ciarán Molumby and Laura Carroll (Islander Architects & Demolition Take Down), Alistair MacDonald (Allies and Morrison), Morris Conway (Waterford City & County Council), Helena McElmeel (Architects), Conor Sreenan (Office of Public Works), Grainne Shaffrey (Architects), Lucy O’Connor (Howley Hayes Cooney Architects), Thomas O’Brien (TOB Architect), Peter Carroll (A2 Architects), Joe Lawrence (Lawrence and Long Architects), and Máire Henry (dhb Architects and RIAI Vice President).
Congratulations to Laura on achieving her conservation accreditation. It was a challenging process but we hope we can now utilise her additional qualifications to help us shape the future of Islander Architects. We welcome opportunities to develop some of the lessons learned from the @demolitiontakedown project last year, to expand conservation of more buildings from the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s that are under massive pressure due to building energy regulations but without the wider cultural pressure to retain or adapt them more carefully.
The building in this image is located in rural Louth. The photo was taken during a site visit for a house extension. This building was the original dwelling for the plot of land but had been abandoned by subsequent generations of the same family in favour of a newer construction and style. This is a typical scenario throughout rural Ireland.
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#buildingconservation #builtheritage #heritageskills #irisharchitecture #adaptivereuse
GARRISTOWN VISION
Thank you to all of the residents, young and old, as well as the many groups and businesses who came to one of 4 events we organised with @_newpractice and @civic_thrivingtogether to engage with the community in Garristown Village on their vision in support of its future resilience. These events followed the survey and were an opportunity to show the results and get further feedback. We had two public drop-in events, one at the weekend and another during the week. We were invited to the local National School to meet with the 5th and 6th class students and discuss their hopes for the future of this rural village. We also invited a number of stakeholders in the village to a round table discussion with a presentation.
See link in bio to dedicated project website to see our summary of the survey results.
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Garristown Vision is a #smartvillage initiative funded by @dublin_rural_leader
#garristown #rurallife #ruralliving
We are delighted that one of the outcomes from our research project @demolitiontakedown the exhibition and installation in @immaireland during September 2024 has been shortlisted in the Research category of the @riaionline Awards 2025.
You can vote for Demolition Take Down in the public choice awards until the final results on June 19th (Link in bio). We would like to thank all those involved in the project: our community of practice - the construction industry who generously gave their time and expertise in the research stage, to our wonderful and inquisitive @architecture_tudublin and property economics students in @tudublin , and to the funders and supporters of the project, particularly for their help in the dissemination of the installation and public events in the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Kilmainham.
It is fantastic to see architectural research and its dissemination being celebrated by the RIAI.
Demolition Take Down was a recipient of the Creative Climate Action Fund II, by @creativeireland
#demolitiontakedown #riaipublicchoice #riaipublicchoiceaward #whatawaste #researchawards #riaiawards #imma #irisharchitecture
