RIAI Celebrates the Rising Stars of Irish Architecture - Winners of the RIAI Future Award and RIAI Student Awards 2021 Announced

The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) announced the Winners of the RIAI Future Award and the RIAI Student Awards at the RIAI Conference (Wednesday 3 November 2021). Architects are making an important contribution to our built environment, our culture, society and economy and the RIAI is delighted to support and promote the next generation through our awards schemes. We were delighted to celebrate the Winners in person at the RDS.

RIAI Future Award

Awarded in association with the RIAI Journal, Architecture Ireland, the Future Award seeks to recognise new talent in Irish architecture. This is an award for emerging architects who have been RIAI registered members for ten years or less. The jury was delighted to see entries that showed exceptional skill and talent in a wide range of areas relating to architecture, such as: design, practice, public engagement, research, writing, and education. Thank you to our Sponsor Graphisoft who supported the award with a prize fund.

The jury, comprising the Architecture Ireland editorial board, recognised one Winner and two Commended entries:

Winner – Laurence Lord

Laurence Lord’s entry demonstrated a commitment to practising architecture as a tool for real social, design, and cultural influence. Laurence works both in practice as AP+E but also collaboratively. A member of the Free Market team, he co-delivered the highly regarded Irish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2018, which advocated for the future of Irish Towns. Laurence, together with former Free Market members, has been continuing this work for other Irish towns – most recently for the Market House in Castleblayney and on a community-led plan for Lusk. With his practice AP+E, Laurence also works on international urban design projects, such as an over-rail connection in the Dutch city of Utrecht. Laurence extends practice through teaching at Queen’s University Belfast. His work is testament to his belief that quality architecture can benefit the wider public.

Commended: Sarah Mannion

Sarah Mannion’s submission displayed a broad and varied approach to engaging with the discipline of architecture. In combining practice, research, and writing, Sarah has shown an impressive degree of independent initiative resulting in self-directed work that has contributed to the wider profession in a number of ways. Her numerous roles are complemented by her knowledge and qualifications in building conservation. As a young member of the institute undertaking a diverse career path, Sarah’s unique direction may be a model we see increasingly more of in the future of the profession.

Commended: Raymond Higgins

Having worked in Ireland and abroad, in both the public and private sectors, as both an architect and architectural technologist, Raymond Higgins has shown on ongoing and unflagging commitment to making good architecture. Raymond’s work demonstrates what individual architects can achieve as part of larger organisations. In pursuing multiple roles over the years, he has successfully combined technical knowledge with leadership skills, as evident in the projects presented as part of his awards entry.

Congratulations to the Winner and Commended Architects. 

RIAI Student Awards

The RIAI is delighted to support the next generation of Architects and Architectural Technologists through our Student Awards. All entries were judged anonymously by the juries. The standard of submissions was high and the juries made awards and commendations. All students received cash prizes from the RIAI and our award sponsors.

RIAI Scott Tallon Walker Student Excellence Award

This award fosters architectural excellence among the student body and is open to students of architecture enrolled in their final thesis year. Students are invited to submit a collage on a single A1 sheet, illustrating the work they have completed during their final year. Supported by Scott Tallon Walker Architects.

Winner: Harry Lloyd – School of Architecture, TU Dublin

‘An Architectural Response to Direct Provision’

Highly Commended: Lasairiona Power – School of Architecture, TU Dublin

‘Garden of Care: A Park + Mental Health Clinic’

Commended: Seamus Sorensen – School of Architecture, TU Dublin

‘Weaving a resilient Architecture’

RIAI Student Award for Sustainable Design

This award recognises the awareness and integration of sustainable design principles by students as an inherent part of their design approach, regardless of scale or complexity. Students were asked to submit a single A1 board, with accompanying Sustainability Statement, illustrating a project which they had completed in that year in which the principles of sustainable design were integrated and evaluated. The award is open to all students who are currently enrolled in the programmes of Architecture or Architectural Technology. Supported by WICONA.

Winner: Lasairiona Power – School of Architecture TU Dublin 

‘Garden of Care: A Park + Mental Health Centre’ 

Highly Commended: Charlotte O’Donnell – School of Architecture, TU Dublin

‘Corrib Park - Garden City’

Commended: Juliette Bosschaert – School of Architecture, TU Dublin

‘Pixelated Urbanism: East Galway Shopping Centre’

Commended: Rachel Murphy – School of Architecture, Queen’s University Belfast

‘The Healing Gardens: Mental Wellness Centre in Armagh’

RIAI Rising Star Award in Architectural Technology Award

This award recognises an individual third-year student of Architectural Technology who exemplifies academic excellence and dedication to the field of Architectural Technology in the national context of  the architectural technologists' education. The students were invited to submit a single A1 board and summary report which illustrated the work they had completed in that year. Supported by SIKA.  

Winner: Kierran Godfrey – Architectural Technology, IT Carlow

‘Student Welfare Hub’ 

Highly Commended: Mitchell Carroll – Architectural Technology, TU Dublin

‘Community Centre’

Highly Commended: David Faulkner – Architectural Technology, IT Carlow

‘Student Centre’

Commended: Laura O’Toole – Architectural Technology, TU Dublin

‘Community Centre’

Commended: Sheenagh Byrne – Architectural Technology, IT Carlow

‘Student Centre’

RIAI and Architecture Ireland Student Writing Prize

The aim of the Student Writing Prize is to nurture and recognise the importance of writing in architecture. Students are invited to contribute an article of no more than 1000 words on a theme of their choice – whether a building or a book; an architect or a movement; both contemporary and historic subject matters will be considered. Supported by VELUX

Winner (joint): Joe Hartnett, School of Architecture, University of Limerick

Title: ‘Of Brick and Stone’

Winner (joint): Aisling Duffy – School of Architecture, University of Limerick

Title: ‘Writing Place’

Highly Commended: Anna Blair – School of Architecture, University of Limerick

Title: ‘That Which is Already There’

Highly Commended: Ailbhe Beatty – School of Architecture, UCD

Title: ‘The Right to the City - Uncovering the Monto’

Commended Jack Donovan – School of Architecture, TU Dublin

Title: ‘What We Do in the Shadows’

Congratulations from the RIAI to all our Award Winners and those who received Commendations.