Featured Bookshop Publications August

To place an order, please visit bookshop.riai.ie or contact bookshop manager Clodagh McKenna, on +353 (0)1 676 1703, or visit us in store at 8 Merrion Square, Dublin.

The Dublin Industrial Estate 

By Dorothy Smith & Jackie Bourke

€20.00

From the nineteenth century onwards, Dublin's industrial estates, factories and warehouses played a vital role in shaping the city's economy, communities and built environment. Dorothy Smith and Jackie Bourke trace this often-overlooked architectural heritage through detailed research, historical photographs and carefully documented case studies. Examining the relationship between industry, urban growth and social history, the book highlights the evolution of manufacturing, transport infrastructure and industrial design across the capital. Richly illustrated and accessible, it offers an important record of buildings that have too often been lost or transformed, making it an invaluable resource for architects, historians, conservation professionals and anyone interested in Dublin's architectural development.

The Albanian Files: Freedom and Architecture 

By Anneke Abhelakh

€80.00

Following the fall of one of Europe's most isolated communist regimes, Albania experienced a remarkable transformation of its cities and architecture. Through photography, research and critical commentary, Anneke Abhelakh documents this period of rapid change, exploring how freedom, politics and identity became embedded within the country's built environment. The publication captures both iconic projects and everyday urban landscapes, revealing architecture as a powerful reflection of cultural renewal and social change. Richly illustrated and thoughtfully researched, The Albanian Files offers a fascinating insight into a nation redefining itself through design and provides valuable perspectives on architecture's role within political and societal transformation.

Take On Add Away - The Transformation of the Palais des Expositions in Charleroi

Edited by AgwA & Architecten jan de vylder inge vinck

€41.00

Documenting the ambitious renewal of Charleroi's historic Palais des Expositions, this richly illustrated publication explores how careful intervention, selective demolition and sensitive adaptation can breathe new life into large-scale civic architecture. Through drawings, photographs and project documentation, it traces the design process behind the transformation, highlighting the balance between preserving architectural identity and meeting contemporary functional needs. The book demonstrates how adaptive reuse can contribute to the regeneration of cities while respecting the cultural significance of existing structures. A valuable case study for architects, planners and conservation professionals, it offers important lessons in sustainable architectural transformation.

Pivot Points: Moments and movements in the development of Ireland's built environment 

Edited by Colum O'Riordan

€75.00"Pivot Points: Moments and Movements in the Development of Ireland's Built Environment" is an edited collection by Colum O'Riordan, published by the Irish Architectural Archive. The book presents a selection of key objects from the IAA collections, each representing a significant shift in the history of development, design, urbanism, and the construction of the built environment across Ireland. It aims to shed light on contemporary issues and themes in architecture and planning, providing insights into how and why things are the way they are, and suggesting new stories and directions for exploration through the IAA collections. The exhibition runs in the IAA Architecture Gallery until the end of 2026.

Before / After: Álvaro Siza

By Duccio Malagamba

€95.00

Architect and educator Níall McCullough explores the layered nature of Ireland's built environment, arguing that architecture is enriched through adaptation rather than frozen in time. Drawing on decades of professional experience, he examines how buildings evolve through restoration, extension and reuse, revealing the complex dialogue between history and contemporary design. Combining thoughtful essays with architectural projects and observations from practice, Palimpsest reflects on memory, place and the responsibilities of architects working within existing contexts. Both philosophical and practical, it offers a compelling perspective on conservation and architectural intervention that will resonate with architects, students and all those interested in Ireland's evolving architectural heritage.

Nuclear power plants 

By Harald R. Stühlinger

€42.00

Harald R. Stühlinger examines the architecture of nuclear power stations as complex works of engineering, planning and design that have profoundly shaped modern landscapes. Looking beyond their technical function, the book explores how these highly specialised buildings reflect changing attitudes towards technology, infrastructure and environmental responsibility. Through detailed analysis, drawings and photography, it considers the architectural challenges of designing facilities that combine safety, efficiency and monumental scale. Thought-provoking and richly illustrated, this volume offers architects, historians and engineers a unique perspective on one of the most significant building types of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Martin Elsaesser Bridging the Ages 

By Jörg Schilling

€76.00

This comprehensive monograph celebrates the life and work of German architect Martin Elsaesser, whose buildings successfully bridged historic traditions and emerging modernist ideas during the early twentieth century. Drawing on extensive archival research, Jörg Schilling explores Elsaesser's major civic, commercial and religious projects, revealing an architect deeply committed to craftsmanship, innovation and urban culture. Richly illustrated with historic photographs, drawings and newly commissioned images, the book offers fresh insight into an influential yet often overlooked figure in European architecture. An important addition to architectural scholarship, it will appeal to historians, practitioners and admirers of modern architecture alike.

Fantastic Architecture 

By Mustansir Dalvi

€11.00

From visionary proposals to extraordinary realised buildings, Fantastic Architecture celebrates the imagination and creativity that continue to push architectural thinking beyond convention. Mustansir Dalvi explores projects from different periods and cultures that challenge accepted ideas of form, function and space, demonstrating how speculative thinking has influenced architectural innovation throughout history. Combining engaging commentary with abundant illustrations, the book reveals the enduring relationship between fantasy, experimentation and the built environment. Accessible yet intellectually engaging, it offers architects, students and design enthusiasts an inspiring exploration of architecture's limitless creative potential.

David Chipperfield Architects  Inagawa Cemetery

Edited by David Chipperfield Architects

€35.00

This beautifully produced monograph examines David Chipperfield Architects' acclaimed Inagawa Cemetery in Japan, a project that brings together architecture, landscape and ritual in a quietly powerful composition. Through detailed photography, drawings and project documentation, the publication reveals how careful attention to materiality, topography and light creates spaces of contemplation and remembrance. The book explores the design process behind one of the practice's most refined works, demonstrating Chipperfield's characteristic restraint and sensitivity to place. Both a detailed project study and a meditation on architecture's ability to shape human experience, it offers valuable insight into one of today's leading international practices.

Quantity Surveyor's Pocket Book 5th Ed

By Duncan Cartlidge

€31.00

An indispensable reference for construction professionals, the fifth edition of Duncan Cartlidge's Quantity Surveyor's Pocket Book brings together essential guidance on measurement, procurement, contracts, cost planning, project management and professional practice in a concise, practical format. Fully updated to reflect current industry standards and legislation, the book provides quick access to the information required throughout every stage of a construction project. Combining technical knowledge with real-world application, it serves as an invaluable companion for quantity surveyors, architects, project managers and students seeking a reliable and comprehensive guide to contemporary construction practice.