• 08 Jun 2022

Ireland’s new National Policy on Architecture showcased in New European Bauhaus Festival

A Irish film entitled Places for People, marked the launch of Ireland’s new National Policy on Architecture, featured in the inaugural New European Bauhaus (NEB) Festival. The NEB Festival was the highlight of this years’ NEB programme and ran from 9-12 June online and in-situ in Brussels.

This ambitious and culturally diverse festival brings together exemplar projects and presentations from Europe, including hosting 60 speakers from all around the world in the Forum, over 100 innovative NEB projects will be showcased across the city in the Fair including over 200 side events in Brussels and in European countries. For this reason, Ireland was delighted to be participating and contributing to this cultural initiative.

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At the centre of the film, Places for People, are extensive interviews with Ireland’s Cultural Ambassadors for Architecture, Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara, who won the most prestigious prize for architecture in Europe, the EU Mies Award 2022. Using stunning footage of new Grafton Architects’ projects set in three very different contexts, the historic Georgian city, former institutional lands to the edge of the city and the historic and industrial port of Dublin. The film explores how we can transform our cities into places for people, through high-quality architecture and thoughtful ‘urban acupuncture’ through the inspirational work of Grafton Architects - the ESB Building, the Educate Together School within the Grangegorman campus, and their transformative plans for reconnecting Dublin Port to the historic core of the city. The film also resonates deeply with the values of the New European Bauhaus of an architecture that is ‘beautiful’, ‘sustainable’, and brings people ‘together’. The film Places for People narrates the vision of the national policy on architecture and speaks to the values of the NEB – the importance of a culture of architecture and how a high quality built environment can benefit people, nature and planet.

The film was commissioned by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) and the RIAI and made by architectural filmmaker Ros Kavanagh.

It is available on the RIAI Website and the New European Bauhaus Festival website, from 9-12 June. The film is also included in a Mobile Exhibition, travelling across several public spaces in Brussels: Gare Maritime, Mont Des Arts, Place De Brouckere, and Marche Aux Poissons.

 

Minister of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, TD said:
 

“I think it is crucially important how we design the places we live in. Our expertise in Architecture is a really vital resource for us to draw up. While addressing many of the challenges we are facing, I firmly believe that our new policy, Places for People, and its actions will enhance this resource and will enable us to draw effectively on it, helping to deliver high quality homes and work places as well as public amenities in which our communities can flourish.

 

 

Minister of State at the DHLGH, Malcom Noonan, TD, added:

“The National Policy on Architecture forefronts the vital role of Architects and built environment professionals in addressing sustainability and social challenges. The policy’s emphasis on working creatively, innovatively and respectfully across boundaries, capturing the values of the New European Bauhaus, is key to long-term sustainability and well-being”.

 

Charlotte Sheridan, RIAI President, said:
 

“We were delighted to participate in this new film, celebrating Ireland’s new National Policy on Architecture, Places for People. The RIAI is the home of Architecture in Ireland, and Architecture is all about creating places for people, buildings and the spaces between buildings. Architecture brings immense social value, it enriches our distinctive culture and heritage, our sense of place and identity, and it can improve our quality of life, our health and wellbeing and can support us to live sustainably.”

The National Policy on Architecture recognises the vital contribution that architecture can make to the implementation of government priorities including Project Ireland 2040, the Climate Action Plan 2021, Housing for All, Heritage Ireland 2030, and Town Centre First.

The policy also acts as a bridge to new European Green Deal initiatives and the mobilisation of the New European Bauhaus, linking Ireland to this new creative and interdisciplinary initiative. The New European Bauhaus is a meeting space to design future ways of living, situated at the crossroads between art, culture, social inclusion, science and technology. It calls for a collective effort to imagine and build a future that is sustainable, inclusive and beautiful.

Places for People, The National Policy on Architecture is available here.