24 projects recognised for transforming everyday life in Ireland

In the Adaptation and Re-Use category, Awards were given to Kilsaran Headquarters by ABK Architects; a Student Residence in a historic building at Fenian Street by Lawrence and Long Architects; and Squaring the Circle, a visitor centre for Inis Cealtra in Lough Derg, Co. Clare by McCullough Mulvin Architects. Blackrock Park Teahouse, restored by 7L Architects, won one of two Conservation Awards, the other going to the historic Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park by the Office of Public Works.

In Public Buildings, the jury recognised diverse projects that positively impact society, a medical centre, a library and community space and two third-level educational projects, with Awards going to: Barretstown Medical Centre by McCauley Daye O'Connell Architects; East Meath Civic Centre by Robin Lee Architecture; Project Connect, RCSI by Henry J Lyons; and University of Limerick Student Centre by Cotter & Naessens Architects. The International Award went to Ireland House Tokyo by Henry J Lyons, which is the realised design of an international architectural design competition by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the RIAI.

In the Living category, the jury recognised different types of homes, including House Adaptions, with Awards going to Greenville Terrace by Rachel Carmody Design and Pembroke Cottages by REIR Studio, while the Award for a New Build Home went to O-House by Lawrence and Long Architects

The winning Housing projects were Bóithrín na Saoirse, a collaboration with CENA Culturally Appropriate Homes and Galway County Council by desiun Architects; Glin Court, an age-friendly redevelopment by Paul Keogh Architects; and the Shanganagh Castle Estate neighbourhood by ABK Architects.

The Workplace and Fit-Out Award went to the adaptation of Earlsfort Terrace by Lawrence and Long Architects and the Leeson Lane Office Building by the Office of Public Works.

The importance of well-designed public spaces was highlighted by the Award for Urban Design, which went to Google Bolands Mills Public Realm by Henry J Lyons and Gustafson Porter + Bowman.  Google Bolands Mills Public Realm also won a Universal Design Award, which is supported by the Centre for Excellence for Universal Design at the National Disability Authority. A second Universal Design Award was given to the New Special Educational Needs School, Letterkenny. Sustainability in Architecture was recognised with an award to Vantage Business Park by Gottstein Architects.

In addition to built work, the RIAI Awards also recognises the importance of Research and the benefits it can bring to our communities by driving innovation and engagement. The Jury recognised two Research projects with Awards to Computational Conservation: ‘Bridging the Domain Gap in Historic Building Data’, by David Hughes FRIAI; and ‘Vacant to Viable (Part 1) – Barriers of the Building Regulations to Existing Building Reuse’, by Triona Stack MRIAI, UCD School of Architecture Planning and Environmental Policy, with Dr Philip Crowe and the Irish Green Building Council.

This year, the jury also presented two Client awards to client bodies who have shown particular leadership in delivering quality outcomes for their end-users with their architects:  The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) for Project Connect, designed by Henry J Lyons, with the second Client Award going to Dwyer Nolan and The Iveagh Trust for Stonemount Park, designed by DSA.

The RIAI Awards 2026 are proudly supported by Gold Sponsors – Sika Ireland and VELUX.

RIAI Awards Jury 2026

Seán Moylan FRIAI, Chair; Máire Henry MRIAI, Vice Chair; Frances Ruane, Chairperson, National Competitiveness and Productivity Council, Distinguished Guest Juror; Paul Durcan MRIAI; Vicky Landy FRIAI; Nigel Murray MRIAI; Owen O’Doherty MRIAI; Fionnuala Rogerson FRIAI; Sally Starbuck FRIAI; Poppy Van Dijk MRIAI

Adaptation and Re-Use

WINNER: Kilsaran Headquarters
Architects: ABK Architects
Client: Kilsaran

Conservation

WINNER: Blackrock Park Teahouse
Architects: 7L Architects
Client: Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council

WINNER: The Magazine Fort, Phoenix Park
Architects: Office of Public Works
Client: Office of Public Works National Historic Properties

HIGHLY COMMENDED: O'Reilly's Public House
Architects: Lawrence and Long Architects
Client: Eirgo Limited

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Royal Hospital Kilmainham North Range
Architects: Office of Public Works in conjunction with 7L Architects
Client: Office of Public Works

COMMENDE: Central Hotel
Architects: McCullough Mulvin Architects
Client: BCP Capital

COMMENDED: Howth DART Station Canopy
Architects: Iarnród Éireann Architects and FKP Architects as Grade 1 Conservation Architect Consultant
Client: Iarnród Éireann Building & Facilities Department

International

WINNER: Ireland House Tokyo
Architects: Henry J Lyons
Client: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

COMMENDED: Ireland's Pavilion at Expo 2025, Osaka
Architects: Office of Public Works
Client: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

COMMENDED: Komorebi
Architects: ConForm Architects
Client: Private

COMMENDED: n2
Architects: Lynch Architects
Client: Landsec

COMMENDED: Storm King Art Center
Architects: heneghan peng architects and WXY Architecture and Urbanism
Client: Storm King Art Center

COMMENDED: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority HQ
Architects: Bucholz McEvoy Architects and ZAS Architects
Client: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

Living: House – Adaptation

WINNER: Greenville Terrace
Architects: Rachel Carmody Design
Client: Private

WINNER: Pembroke Cottages
Architects: REIR Studio
Client: Private

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Bellevue Heights
Architects: REIR Studio
Client: Private

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Havelock
Architects: Scullion Architects
Client: Private

Living: House – New Build

WINNER: O-House
Architects: Lawrence and Long Architects
Client: Private

COMMENDED: Cruit Island
Architects: Pasparakis Friel
Client: Private

Living: Housing

WINNER: Bóithrín na Saoirse
Architects: desiun Architects
Client: Galway City Council and CENA Culturally Appropriate Homes

Public Buildings

WINNER: Barretstown Medical Centre
Architects: McCauley Daye O'Connell Architects
Client: Barretstown Camp

WINNER: East Meath Civic Centre
Architects: Robin Lee Architecture
Client: Meath County Council

WINNER: Project Connect, RCSI
Architects: Henry J Lyons
Client: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

WINNER: University of Limerick Student Centre
Architects: Cotter & Naessens Architects
Client: University of Limerick

COMMENDED: Bon Secours Hospital Limerick
Architects: Reddy A+U and HOK (Design Architect)
Client: Bon Secours Health System     

COMMENDED: Quayside Water Sports Centre
Architects: Urban Agency Architects
Client: Dublin City Council

Workplace and Fit-Out

WINNER: Leeson Lane Office Building
Architects: Office of Public Works
Client: Department of Culture, Communications, and Sport and Department of Finance

WINNER: Offices at Earlsfort Terrace
Architects: Lawrence and Long Architects
Client: ALC Aircraft Ltd

COMMENDED: Google Bolands Mills Fit-Out
Architects: Henry J Lyons
Client: Google

Urban Design

WINNER: Google Bolands Mills Public Realm
Architects: Henry J Lyons and Gustafson Porter + Bowman
Client: Google

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Stonemount Park
Architects: DSA
Client: Dwyer Nolan and The Iveagh Trust

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Convent Lands Supported Housing
Architects: OBFA
Client: SOPHIA Housing Association and Laois County Council

COMMENDED: Monaghan Town THRIVE Regeneration Plan
Architects: John McLaughlin Architects
Client: Monaghan County Council

Universal Design

WINNER: New Special Educational Needs School, Letterkenny
Architect: McGarry Ní Éanaigh Architects
Client: Department of Education and Youth and School Board of Management

WINNER: Google Bolands Mills Public Realm
Architects: Henry J Lyons and Gustafson Porter + Bowman
Client: Google

COMMENDED: Bóithrín na Saoirse
Architects: desiun Architects
Client: Galway City Council and CENA Culturally Appropriate Homes

COMMENDED: Project Connect, RCSI
Architects: Henry J Lyons
Client: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Sustainability

WINNER: Vantage Business Park
Architects: Gottstein Architects
Client: Newpark Real Estate and Bain Capital

COMMENDED: Annex Building Iarnród Éireann HQ
Architects: Iarnród Éireann Architects
Client: Iarnród Éireann Building & Facilities Department

COMMENDED: Shackleton Experience
Architects: K-Design Studio and OBFA
Client: Kildare County Council

COMMENDED: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Headquarters
Architects: Bucholz McEvoy Architects and ZAS Architects
Client: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

Research

WINNER: Computational Conservation: Bridging the Domain Gap in Historic Building Data
Architect: David Hughes FRIAI
Client: National Scientific Committee on Energy Sustainability and Climate Change (NSCES+CC) ICOMOS Ireland

WINNER: Vacant to Viable (Part 1) - Barriers of the Building Regulations to Existing Building Reuse
Architect: Triona Stack MRIAI, UCD School of Architecture Planning and Environmental Policy, with Dr Philip Crowe and the Irish Green Building Council

COMMENDED: Embodied Carbon
Architects: Henry J Lyons

COMMENDED: Industrial Heritage of Brackenstown Walled Gardens
Architects: John McLaughlin Architects
Client: Fingal County Council

COMMENDED: UPGRADE+UPSKILL Research & Training Initiative: Energy Renovation of Heritage Properties in State Care
Architects: Office of Public Works

Client Award

WINNER: Dwyer Nolan and The Iveagh Trust
Project: Stonemount Park
Client: DSA

WINNER: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)
Project: Project Connect
Architect: Henry J Lyons