Dublin City Council recently launched the results of a new digital twin project, examining different ways to future-proof its social housing stock. A digital twin is a virtual representation using real-time data, which can be used to simulate relationships between factors such as people, buildings and the environment. These virtual models have become a staple in […]

As part of the EPA Climate Change Lecture Series, City Architects were invited to present examples of our Climate Resilient Design Work at The Round Room at The Mansion House, Dublin on 19th April 2023. A lecture entitled ‘Ocean Circulation, Tipping Points and the Public Climate Debate’ by Professor Stefan Rahmstorf, Professor of Physics of the Oceans […]

DCC has recently completed a mixed use development on Dominick St Lower and residents have begun moving into the apartments. Dominick Hall represents the first phase of the long term ambition for the social, economic and environmental regeneration of the former flat complex and establishes the rules for future development on sites in this north […]

Designing housing regeneration projects involves bringing together many different issues: designing high densities; streetscape and urban scale; context and heritage as well as the over-riding brief of creating homes and community places. Sean Foster Place, named in memory of a child shot and killed on North King Street during the 1916 Rising, provides 30 new […]

The proposed redevelopment of the existing Constitution Hill Flats has reached a major mile stone as the Part 8 planning application for 124 homes has been lodged and can be viewed on: https://consultation.dublincity.ie/central-area/part-8-redevelopment-of-constitution-hill-flats-du/ Design Team Project Managers/Feasibility Masterplan City Architects Division, Dublin City Council Architects Grafton Architects Landscaping Brady Shipman Martin Structural & Civil Engineers ARUP M&E Services Engineers ARUP […]

This year’s annual architectural festival Open House will take place across the city from Friday 14th to Sunday 16th October.  It is a unique opportunity for citizens to explore, understand and re-discover the architecture of their city through over 150 free events and tours, including buildings not generally accessible to the public. This year Dublin […]

Built in 1968, Constitution Hill Flats consists of three five-storey blocks, containing 89 homes in total. The site is located along Constitution Hill, with the recently opened Broadstone Plaza to the north, Catherine Lane North at the southern end, and a Dublin Bus Depot to the west with the Grangegorman TU Dublin campus beyond. The […]

As we approach the halfway point in 2022, we thought we would give a brief update on a selection of the projects we have been working on this year. We will cover some of these projects in more detail once they reach completion but in the meantime here are some highlights showing the range of […]

The redevelopment of Dorset Street / St. Mary’s Place Flats passed a major milestone recently as it was granted Part 8 planning approval at the January meeting of Dublin City Council. This large city centre site currently consists of four five-storey flat block buildings sitting in communal open spaces alongside a historic fire station building. […]

The Ballybough House Pilot Amalgamation is a demonstration pilot project to carry out a retrofit within a Protected Structure. Ballybough House was designed by housing architect Herbert Simms in the 1930s. It is one of 18 similar remaining complexes that have provided housing for generations of Dubliners over the past 80 years. It represents one […]

We’re looking forward to Open House Dublin 2021 which is organised by the Irish Architecture Foundation and there are plenty of Dublin City Council buildings you can see up close this year: Ballybough House: a pilot project to provide an energy efficiency retrofit in a Protected Structure Newly completed terrace of homes at Margaret Kennedy […]

Multi-disciplinary design teams started working earlier this year on the renewal of two estates in the north city centre: Constitution Hill and matt Talbot. Built in 1968’s, Constitution Hill Flats consists of three five-storey blocks, containing 90 homes in total. The site is located along Constitution Hill, with the recently opened Broadstone Plaza to the […]

Corban Walker’s exploration of minimal home sizes opened on 24th June 2021 at Diamond Park, Dublin 1.  A public discussion was held to mark the exhibition’s launch.  Panellists were the artist Walker, Orla Hegarty (UCD), John O’Connor (Housing Agency), Sinead O’Carroll (The Journal), Amy Donohoe (Dublin Live) and Ruairí Ó Cuív (DCC Public Art Officer).  […]

  An exhibition of artist Corban Walker’s new art work ‘What do you need?’ will explore the impact of minimal home sizes and housing policies on the lives of communities and artists. The exhibition will will take place in Diamond Square, 7 Gardiner Street Lower, Dublin 1, from 24th June to 15th July 2021. The opening of the […]

On 8th January 2021, all but essential construction sites in Ireland were instructed to close by Government direction under national Level 5 restrictions to mitigate against the spread of COVID-19. A number of DCC sites including St. Teresa’s Gardens (54 homes), which reached substantial completion on 16th February 2021, were permitted to continue. Throughout the […]

Renewing and redeveloping older complexes in the city is a key area of the Council’s work on housing. This week we are giving an overview of the work on estate renewal projects managed by City Architects. This work programme covers projects that are intended to be delivered by the Council directly and also includes work […]

This is the second of seven posts reviewing progress made in 2020 and outlining our project targets for this year. This post covers new-build public housing delivered via Design & Build contracts, and incorporating traditional or modern methods of construction; sometimes referred to as ‘rapid delivery, system build’ or ‘volumetric’ construction. System build or projects […]

Following on from our series of Blog posts in early 2020, this is the first of seven posts reviewing progress made in 2020 and outlining our project targets for this year. This post covers new-build public housing using ‘traditional’ building contracts. This area of work is delivered by Dublin City Council’s City Architect Division, who […]

  In early 2020, we posted a series of blogs on City Architects project targets for the year. We’re going to reflect on these targets over the coming weeks and tell you what’s planned for 2021. As with last year, the posts will be organised by programme strand (links are to last year’s posts): Public […]

The reconstruction of Nos. 2 to 5 Ballybough Road beside the Royal Canal at Clarke’s Bridge was recently completed as part of the regeneration of the Croke Park neighbourhood, an overall scheme that includes the redevelopment of the Croke Villas flat complex to provide new homes combined with a new boulevard approach to the stadium […]

Last weekend saw the 15th Open House Dublin festival, and the first Open House to take place online. Organisers the Irish Architecture Foundation  gathered a fantastic collection of virtual tours, films and interviews for the online festival that Dublin City Council were delighted to be part of. While It’s a pity that people missed out […]

Early in the new year, we posted some photographs from our construction sites, showing progress achieved during 2019. Like most sectors in the economy, our housing sites were closed during the lock down but re-opened on 18th May 2020. Our contractors have put safety measures in place, in line with government and industry guidelines to […]

  The redevelopment of the significant lands at Emmet Road in Inchicore, Dublin 8, site of the former St. Michael’s Estate, is progressing with the appointment of a team led by Bucholz McEvoy Architects to design and manage the construction of the planned affordable cost-rental development. The team led by Bucholz McEvoy was appointed through […]

The previous blog posts in this series focused on the main work areas of each of the teams in City Architects. Here we are highlighting some of the larger, more strategic developments that City Architects have been working on. The first of these is a development masterplan for lands at Emmet Road in Inchicore, site […]

Renewing and redeveloping older housing complexes in the city is a key area of the Council’s work on housing. This week we are giving an overview of the work on estate renewal projects managed in City Architects by Team 4.  This work programme covers projects that are intended to be delivered by the Council directly […]

This is the second of seven posts on our 2020 project targets, and covers new-build public housing using system build or modern methods of construction. These projects are delivered via design & build construction contracts, and are sometimes referred to as ‘rapid delivery or volumetric’. This programme is delivered by City Architects Team 3, who […]

Over the next few weeks, we’re going to summarise our 2020 project targets. This is the first of seven posts, and covers new-build public housing using ‘traditional’ building contracts. This area of work is delivered by City Architect teams 1 and 2, who provide the full architectural service or manage consultant architects. Other design team members […]

Dublin City Council has recently approved a new residential development at Cork Street under the Part 8 planning process. The development is located within the historical Liberties area, directly opposite a new city park – Weaver Park. The project is expected to start on site in early 2020. The development will provide 55 homes arranged […]

Here are some images of progress on a number of housing projects currently on site, with some interesting photos taken from the site tower cranes. Cornamona Court The contract for 61 homes was awarded to Cunningham Contracts Limited and works commenced on site in June 2019. Good progress is being made in the basement and […]

As we approach the end of 2019, we thought we’d look back at events across our work on new housing developments, public housing regeneration, public realm projects, conservation works, and civic projects such as public libraries. So below is a snapshot of some of the project milestones achieved in 2019 and some of those planned […]

In early 2019 Dublin City Council appointed an urban design team, led by DMOD Architects, to prepare a Development Framework Plan for the optimum model of redevelopment of lands at Emmet Road, Inchicore, Dublin 8. These lands include the site of the former Saint Michael’s Estate. The plan sets out a framework for the provision of […]

At the Council Meeting on Monday 7th October 2019, Dublin City Councillors approved a new housing scheme at Springvale under the Part 8 planning process. The development at Springvale is located on the northern side of Chapelizod Road, on the eastern outskirts of Chapelizod village, opposite the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church. […]

Dublin City Council has recently approved a development under the Part 8 planning process, for 38 new homes on the site of the former military stores at Infirmary Road /Montpelier Hill Dublin 7. The Design Team lead by City Architects Division is now preparing the tender documentation with the intention to appoint a contractor next […]

Dublin City Councillors approved five significant DCC developments under the Part 8 planning process at the Council Meeting on Monday 7th October 2019, marking a key stage in Dublin City Council’s ongoing programme of delivery of new homes and the upgrade and expansion of the city’s community, cultural and heritage buildings. These are: Infirmary Road […]

City Architects has recently completed the procurement of a Design-Build Contractor Framework for delivery of apartment and housing developments using ‘Modern Methods of Construction’, i.e. 2D Panelised or 3D Modular or Volumetric Construction. The Framework consists of six Contractors who will tender for projects with an estimated construction value in excess of €15 million (excl. […]

The first 40 houses of a new scheme constructed by ABM Design & Build Ltd at Cherry Orchard have been handed over and are now occupied. Cherry Orchard is a development comprising 72 houses. The first phase consists of 24 two-bedroom houses and 29 three-bedroom houses. Phase 2 consists of 19 houses which are due […]

The new housing project at Cornamona Court, which recently commenced on site, is being constructed as part of Dublin City Council’s ongoing programme of delivery of new homes. Introduction The redevelopment of Cornamona Court in Ballyfermot was identified by Dublin City Council as part of our delivery of new housing under the Housing Strategy 2020. […]

Residents of the old Tom Kelly flats, on Charlemont Street in central Dublin, are well settled into their homes in the new ffrench Mullen House Apartments which were completed at the end of 2017. Resident, Carmel Ward says “I absolutely love living in ffrench Mullen. It has spacious rooms, lots of storage, a courtyard area and […]

Residents of St. Teresa’s Gardens have been enjoying the new central landscaped and play areas by City Architects and Aoife Tuomey Architects. This forms part of the wider regeneration of St. Teresa’s Gardens of which Dublin City Council have been working on since 2011, in partnership with St. Teresa’s Regeneration Board and the residents of […]

If you’re interested in CoHousing as an approach to achieving sustainable urban development, you should check out SOA’s forthcoming conference on Friday 14th June in Dublin Castle and interactive workshop on Saturday 15th June  at TU Dublin. Called CoHousing Here! the event is a timely opportunity to discuss resident-led housing, architecture, community and affordability. It […]

The Lord Mayor Nial Ring today officially opened the recently completed refurbishment of an apartment block for senior citizens at St Bricin’s Park, Arbour Hill, to Passive House Standard (known as EnerPHit in the case of existing buildings). Passive House is a standard of energy-efficient construction that ensures homes are exceptionally comfortable, healthy and affordable […]

Phase 1 of the regeneration of Dolphin House was completed in November 2018. The completion of Phase 1 of Dolphin House Regeneration marks the first step of an ambitious plan to regenerate the 1950s complex located on the banks of the Grand Canal. This initial phase of a wider masterplan consists of deep retrofitting three […]

Phase 1 of the Teresas’s Gardens development is underway with 54 homes under construction on a site bounded to the west by the Coombe Hospital Complex, to the northwest by single storey dwellings, to the east by Donore Avenue and to the south by the greater St Teresa’s Gardens site. Recent Regeneration History The St. […]

St. Teresa’s Gardens is another key City Architects social housing project to recently start on site. The 54 homes under construction are the first phase of a significant and complex area regeneration plan for the Dublin City Council-owned St Teresa’s Gardens site and adjacent privately owned lands known as the Bailey Gibson and Player Wills […]

Two key City Architects housing projects, being constructed as part of Dublin City Council’s ongoing programme of delivery of new homes, recently commenced on site – Dominick Street and St. Teresa’s Gardens. The first of these exciting projects to be featured here is the development on Dominick Street, which the Council aims to be an […]

St Bricin’s Park, Arbour Hill is a mid 1960’s development comprising of 68 bedsit units. There are three blocks of bedsits each two-storey high.  The Structural Engineering section is providing design services in conjunction with internal and external consultants led by Architect James Walsh of Low Energy Design (Blocks 2 and 3). Block 2, Load Testing […]

Dublin City Council and the O’Devaney Gardens Community Consultative Forum will be hosting a workshop regarding the regeneration of O’Devaney Gardens.

Who are we? The Structural Engineering Section forms part of the City Architect’s Division. The Section sits within Housing and Community Services and provides Structural and Civil design on a cross departmental basis. 

New Build Housing completed 2018, Belcamp  Image: Paul Tierney   Here is an update on the public housing projects under City Architects direction on behalf of Dublin City Council Housing department. Projects are varied and include new build, refurbishment and extensions of existing DCC homes.

Having made good progress exploring the benefits of system building /prefabrication in the construction of two-storey housing (152 homes complete and 70 homes due for completion this year), Dublin City Council is now looking

Quality of the built environment and sustainability are two key concerns in the provision of successful housing developments. In 2014 Dublin City Council initiated a programme for the refurbishment and amalgamation of existing small bedsit units (23-26sqm) increasing their size to meet current space standards and improve overall energy efficiency.

    Dublin City Council has recently signed a contract with PJ.Carey (Contractors) Limited to build 56 new homes at O’Devaney Gardens, Dublin 7. Construction work will start in July and it is planned to be complete by early 2020. This work represents

Crampton Buildings forms a small city block with frontage onto Crampton Quay overlooking the river Liffey. Here are some images and notes about the extensive renovation works completed in 2016.

There has been discussion and reportage in the media recently on Dublin City Council’s flat complex regeneration plans, with particular focus on complexes built between 1930 and 1950. To clarify, Dublin City Council has not planned the demolition of any of the blocks designed by Herbert Simms (aside from those already being redeveloped as part […]

Photo credit Greg Dunn   City Architects recently prepared a report giving an update on the upgrading and renewal of existing Dublin City Council flat complexes. The report, Estate Renewal Technical Report 1, was submitted as part of a proposal for large scale renewal made by the Housing Department to Dublin City Council’s Housing Strategic […]

  Image by: Levitt Bernstein Architects     Over the past two years Dublin City Council’s Rapid Build Programme has successfully utilised off site manufacturing and system-build construction to deliver 150 two-storey homes across the city.

  Numbers 9 & 10 Fitzwilliam Street Lower, two Georgian houses on the Record of Protected Structures, have been carefully renovated and restored to provide supported temporary accommodation for people who are experiencing homelessness.

Dublin City Architects, in agreement with the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (DHPCLG), have selected a pilot scheme to implement the forthcoming nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) standard for social housing at a 30 unit scheme located at North King Street, Dublin 7.

above: Cherry Orchard Avenue, Adston Ltd. Building Contractors, handover November 2017 image by City Architects     Last week Dublin City Council (DCC) took possession of 24 new houses at Cherry Orchard Avenue, constructed by Adston Ltd. Building contractors, and most of the families have already moved in. This scheme is one of the four […]

  Above: McKee Park; City Architects, 37 homes, completed Sept 2011. Image Credit: Donal Murphy Photography     Last week we gave you a general overview of the City Architects Division and the work that we do. This week we’re focusing on Housing, the area which makes up the lion’s share of our current programme.

  We are delighted that Rathmines Crescent is the first project in Ireland to be awarded with the Home Performance Index label which allows housing providers and private developers to highlight the quality and sustainability of their homes.

A social housing development was completed in Rathmines, Dublin 6, in early May 2016.

“Located in the one of the most disadvantaged areas of Dublin’s inner city, the regeneration of Liberty House (renamed Peadar Kearney House) has been a flagship project in the Integrated Area Plan that the City Council adopted for the north east inner city.

Dublin City Council is to receive €292m funding under an announcement made yesterday. It is to be accompanied by social housing delivery targets and is expected to reduce Dublin City Council’s social housing waiting list by 21% by the end of 2017.

Last weekend’s Open House event may be regarded as a high point in the on-going awareness raising initiative that the City Architects Conservation team have guided on Aungier Street – the first planned-suburb of the modern city commenced in 1660 outside the precinct of the medieval Castle.

For the past year, the homeless services provided by Dublin City Council have been based at Parkgate Hall, Conyngham Road.  Here, a number of previously dispersed services are available to those in need as part of an integrated hub.  In advance of their relocation to Parkgate Hall, City Architects carried out a number of alterations […]

The Dublin House Project will be launched today, Monday 21st July, at 11:00.  Among those in attendance will be the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Christy Burke, and City Architect, Ali Grehan.  The launch will take place on the site advertised for the project, 29-30 Fishamble Street.

Plans for the proposed regeneration of Dolphin House are now available to view.  The part VIII proposal includes the construction and refurbishment of 100 homes along with associated public realm works.

The regeneration of St Teresa’s Gardens continues apace with the passing of its part VIII proposal by Dublin City Council. The project will involve the construction of a mixture of new houses and apartments along with refurbishment works to existing blocks.  Complementing this will be a new urban park equipped with facilities for play and […]

    Minister for Housing, Jan O’Sullivan recently announced the provision of €68 million in funding for the construction of social housing.  This is the first such government investment in many years and will result in 449 new homes across the state. 

These pictures show the finishing touches being applied to the new homes at Thornton Heights, Inchicore.

The Wood Quay venue was packed to capacity on Thursday 13th February for the City Limits conference. 

Dolphin House is the largest single flat complex in the Dublin City Council area. It was built in the 1950s.

  Dublin City Council has received two major accolades at the highly prestigious 2013 Annual Awards of the U.K. Civic Trust, at a recent award ceremony in Cardiff.

‘Cities that value and apply design in how they think, plan and act are more attractive, humane and competitive.’ (extract from City Architects World Design Capital 2014 bid feasibility report, April 2010). “What do City Architects do?” is a question that I get asked often.

McKee Court, designed by City Architects, is a development of homes for senior citizens close to McKee Barracks and Phoenix Park. The scheme, which has been shortlisted for a Chambers Ireland Award for Excellence in Local Government,  consists of 38 apartments (36 x 1-bed and 2 x 2-beds) and a small community facility on a steeply sloping triangular […]

Paul Keogh Architects’ Sean Treacy House has been shortlisted for the People’s Choice Award in this year’s RIAI annual awards. 

Dublin City Council developed a new masterplan for the regeneration of Dominick Street’s 1960s social housing in 2008.

Sean Treacy House, a housing scheme completed last year, recently won two design awards from the Irish Council for Social Housing in the Community Housing Awards 2011.

Dublin City Council is one of the key providers of housing in the city. The Council lets and manages 27,000 homes, 11,000 of which are flats or apartments arranged in 249 flat complexes, 106 of which provide homes for older people.

The Precinct Improvement Projects (or PIPs) are a programme of improvement works in housing schemes run by the Council’s Housing Department.