My thesis is situated in the future afterlife scenario of a post-industrial landscape, namely Mungret Quarry and Cement Factory.
The project seeks to reveal human domination over nature and the objectified measure of land as an exploitable resource. I propose to hand the site back to nature and transform it into a bio-campus.
This thesis addresses the longed-for revitalisation of neglected Georgian heritage buildings through a mode of material sorting and reuse. The site sits at the lower end of the Georgian Newtown Pery Grid, founded by a cluster of dereliction within the city. Jesuit Lane becomes an organised, brick-vaulted matrix in which workshops that contribute toward a self-repairing city can take place. It integrates existing institutions such as the Sacred Heart Church and the Limerick Tutorial College, embedding itself within an already active civic fabric.
The programme unfolds within a realm of brick vaults extracted from the very city in which it stands. It includes educative and reparative workshops, a large church assembly hall, and material storage facilities, all emphasising the reuse of salvaged and redundant materials sourced from surrounding areas. Redundant materials become the central subject of the project, shifting from waste to resource. The site operates as both a hub and a form of spolia — a place where fragments of the city are gathered, catalogued, and reintroduced — enticing the city to repair itself through incremental, smaller-scale acts of intervention.
This thesis explores architecture as a provocation, or re-provocation, of our inner visionary selves. It questions current approaches to renewal within the built environment and challenges the tendency toward replacement over repair. This response lies in the mode of sensitive material sorting, with particular attention given to materials already embedded within the existing fabric. By recognising the latent value in what is already present, the project seeks to step toward a more sustainable architectural output. Ultimately, it aims to portray a world in which one empathises with the material before them — where architecture begins not with extraction, but with recognition, care, and reuse. The city becomes self-repairing.
Outhouse was created from a need for more inclusive and representative space in the midlands of Ireland.
Being a queer man growing up in the region, there existed no real place where I could really discover myself and gain some mental relief among other queer people discovering themselves. I was only able to truly do achieve this by leaving the midlands. Only then did I find spaces where queer people both actively flourished and owned. This does not feel fair. Place belongs to us all. But as queer people we have to always ask; does it really? So many times we have stepped over the threshold and realised we did not feel safe within these walls. This fact applies to so many spaces that it’s sad, and in the midlands I feel this.
Outhouse is a chapter in social equity. Through place-making, this project aims to create both a retreat and a destination. Where queer people can be amongst themselves in a healthy space and share ideas, create connections and achieve things that they can’t outside of Outhouse. Why do all queer gatherings exist in large urban centres? Yes queer people migrate in these spaces, but because like I stated above. Currently we have to. Can we not gather outside of Dublin, Cork or Limerick? This project allows for a ‘base of operations’. Pride and LGBTQ+ history month events can happen locally, groups can organise a ‘coffee get together’, for example, around a central location rather than seeking to use someone else’s space. Protests, social events, exhibitions and more can all happen under one roof. Outhouse is about being queer in a place for queer people, by queer people. Something I never experienced growing up, and that needs to change.
This thesis explores the potential of Irish vernacular architecture to inform modern sustainable practices, particularly in rural Ireland. It delves into the rich heritage of traditional Irish buildings, which were constructed using local materials like stone, wood, and thatch, and were designed to harmonize with the environment. These structures are more than just physical spaces; they embody a way of life that connects deeply with the land and community. The research argues for the rehabilitation and adaptation of these traditional structures as a means to address contemporary challenges such as rural depopulation, loss of cultural identity, and the environmental impact of modern construction. By preserving the original craftsmanship while integrating modern amenities, these buildings can be revitalized to reduce the carbon footprint associated with new construction and enrich the cultural landscape. A key part of the thesis is a design proposal for a site in Tourin, Co. Waterford. This traditional farm courtyard, currently in ruins, is envisioned as a center for research and education on vernacular architecture. The project aims to create a living example of how traditional construction methods can be adapted for modern use, serving as a hub for learning and preserving these practices for future generations. The thesis also explores how traditional building materials can be used innovatively in new construction to meet modern sustainability standards. By revisiting these materials, such as water reeds and thatch, the research highlights their relevance in addressing today’s environmental challenges. In essence, this thesis is a call to action for the preservation and development of Ireland’s vernacular architectural heritage. It emphasizes the value of learning from the past to create sustainable, culturally rich homes and communities that are deeply connected to the landscape.
The project explores the relationship between humankind and rivers: how humans perceive rivers and the two-way interactions that occur. It views rivers from a selection of perspectives such as the river as a life source, a transport route and a power source.
The site is the River Corrib and the surrounding land of Galway city. The design project will focus on Madeira Island, now a surface car park. The River Corrib once powered Galway city’s industry and trade but now has a much less prominent role in the city. The fact that the city is built on a massing of islands, shaped by a network of waterways, is no longer evident due to the orientation of public buildings and main routeways.
Education has long been an integral part of Galway city life. The city centre currently hosts a university, three secondary and primary schools. However, all three secondary schools are in the process of migrating outwards in search of larger grounds in the suburbs.
The aim of the project is to provoke public re-evaluation of the river and to re-orientate people towards it. The programme is a music school to strengthen the weakening educational framework of Galway’s city centre
This project is based in Limerick City within the Georgian-era gridded city centre. The city has had an ongoing vacancy and dereliction issue, which has affected the historic centre and these 18th Century constructions. The scheme looks at activating the central space of the block, and connecting to existing terrace buildings along their garden plots. It is a rare occurrence in Limerick to see the inside of these city blocks, so I proposed a common surface area, accessible by the public. The scheme invites the public to pass through the middle of block, encountering a series of circular public spaces as they move from one main street to another. I chose a work-live Artists Studio typology for the scheme, to draw on Limerick’s large artist population. The idea was to have multi-use workshop spaces on the basement and ground floor, with a mix of living units above this. It was important to me that this central space be publicly accessible, as I was trying to encourage a visual dialogue between the processes of craft and the city’s inhabitants. The idea of brick-vaulted spaces on the sub level is a reference to the extensive network of brick sub- structures beneath Limerick’s Georgian terraces and streets.
The thesis explores whether material can be reused within its local context to enhance the essence of place. In particular by exploring the ways in which materials could be recycled, the author searches for grounded sense of place for the surrounding community.
Given a fading sense of community in the town centre of Drogheda, the chosen programme was inspired by the urgency of the needs and values of the community. A need for safer spaces for the present community and for future generations is identified.
Repurposing the Abbey ruins of St. Mary d’Orso, which historically embodied a culture for caring in the community, the proposal brings it back to the forefront once more to tackle the issues of the present day, working through its materiality to establish an essence of place.
Architecture has the power to influence our lives in a profound and impactful way. Conscious and considered design has the ability to alter the way we think and behave, therefore affecting the way we feel. Design has proven its ability to assist in recovery or prolong the suffering of people dealing with mental health issues. Our growing understanding and awareness of mental illness and its complexity has helped destigmatize many mental disorders. The aim of my thesis is to research and implement architectural techniques and designs that promote positive mental health in urban areas.
The overarching aim of my thesis is to create a community within an existing area that promotes interaction between individuals. A driving force behind my thesis is the prevalence of loneliness and the feeling of isolation in many communities today. This is a growing issue that is incredibly hard to properly identify and has only been pushed to the forefront of the public consciousness in recent years. Intense loneliness has been proven to lead to depression and anxiety as well as many other mental illnesses, which I will explore further throughout my thesis. Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a relatively new practice which involves mindful and meditative techniques. Studies over the last thirty years have shown the positive impact MBCT has on patients suffering from various mental illnesses. By using similar techniques within architecture, I intend to explore how we can design spaces that benefit mental health on a community level.
The site I have chosen to work with is an existing carpark on Ellen Street in Limerick City centre. The space has an interesting and dynamic history in terms of use. St. Michael’s church and a derelict 1800s corn store sit to the west of my site while retail bookmarks the space to the east and west. The parallels between my research and the existing church create an interesting dynamic which I will explore further throughout my thesis.
My intention is to create a space within the city that can cater for a variety of demographics, promoting social interaction, mindfulness, communication and cultural/spiritual growth. For this reason, I have chosen a sculpture gallery as the focal point of my project. This will also include community rooms, a meditative garden, a food hall and a small number of rental workspaces.
My thesis is investigating how awareness of self and of the environment can be heightened through the experience of architecture. I examine how space can be moulded in a way that encourages active experience of space, and positively affects the human body and psyche. I examine how a relationship between architecture and nature can be beneficial to both humans and to the environment.
My building proposal is located at the river edge in Limerick city centre, on Arthur’s Quay Park. The site is currently underused, and the University of Limerick intends to develop it into a university campus. I saw an opportunity to develop an architecture with which students and locals in the city centre can be properly engaged, in body and mind. The building I am proposing on the site is a school of art, architecture and making. Through the tools of light, material and structure, the proposal will encourage users to experience space in an active and mindful way that is inspired by nature.
This thesis is an exploration into the sequence of spatial experiences which is afforded to the individual by their built environment. It is an investigation of the urban condition, ideas of procession and promenade, and adaptation in an endeavour to curate a responsive architectural attitude to designing within our urban fabric.
My area of study is Limerick city centre. I investigate the character of the city realm and the experience of the everyday. This is a place plagued by urban decay and vacancy; however, it is also rich in its history and design. The Georgian grid is a renowned example of urban planning and is considered a special area of conservation. This thesis examines building heritage, conservation, and dereliction in Limerick city.
The chosen site forms part of a Georgian block in Limerick city. It contains the derelict buildings of nos. 34-41 Catherine Street, and their associated brown-field site in the block interior. The site borders Glenworth lane to the northeast, Catherine street to the south east, the Mallow Street terraces to the south west, and a laneway from Malow Street to the northwest. The block in which it sits faces onto O’Connell Street, a primary thoroughfare in Limerick, and its location is an area of transition between primarily commercial and residential parts of the city.
The proposal of this thesis aims to create a piece of urban fabric which enables a richness of interface between the human and their build environment. The intervention strives to enhance the spatial experiences of the city-goer as they move through the city and provide public spaces within for city and community happenings to take place.
