On the hunt for an innovative architect? Here are 4 of the best in Ireland

Considering renovating, extending or building your dream home and need an innovative and interesting Irish architect?

Choosing an architect is probably the biggest of the many, many decisions you will make when you’re extending or building your home. A good architect will tailor their design to how you live, how you use the space and how you move through it. They will bring a deliberateness to the overall aesthetic, while their intimate knowledge of the industry means they will be able to point you in the right direction for contractors and materials, inevitably saving you time and money.

If you’re not sure where to start with finding an interesting and innovative architect, best to start with the 2019 shortlist for the Image Interiors & Living Design Award‘s Architect of the Year. With such a broad list of talented architects on our radar, the judges decided to narrow their criteria to those who have produced an exceptional residential building, conversion or extension.

Start dreaming and jotting down ideas now because your dream home starts here.

t o b Architect

Established by Thomas O’Brien in 2013, t o b Architect’s work is inspired by material and the surrounding environment. Their reimagination of a farmhouse in Cavan, which won an RIAI Irish Architecture Award this year, incorporates traditional elements of the area, including timber barn doors and functional concrete floors, with playful heights and expansive views to create a modern family home that sits comfortably in its rural location.

The practice’s Cork extension for a family returning home from Australia caught the eye of the Design Awards judges, particularly for its playful colour palette. tob.ie

David Leech

Irish architect David Leech has already made an impact on the international stage, winning a World Architecture Award last year for his reimagination of a suburban Dublin home with a floating ground floor. This was his very first project and since then his designs have only gone from strength to strength.

His innovative and colourful extension in London on an incredibly tight budget uses exposed and painted timber joists running at a 45-degree angle to create interest and movement. david-leech.co.uk

Sketch Architects

Fresh of their win of an RIAI Irish Architecture Award, the Design Awards judges have been cooing over Sketch Architects’ incredible brick and timber-finned Ash House. Established by John Nolan, the firm focuses on sustainable projects that are beautiful from the inside out. Their projects are modern yet warm, imbibing each one with the needs and lifestyle of the homeowners to create beautiful and highly functional spaces. sketcharchitects.ie

Clancy Moore

If you picked up the July/August issue of Image Interiors & Living, you’ve already seen Clancy Moore’s incredible transformation of a Dublin warehouse into a cosy family home for photographer Fionn McCann. One of the Design Award judges called it a “considered example of repurposing”.

Established by Andrew Clancy and Colm Moore in 2008, the practice’s projects are incredibly unique. Their Slievebawnogue home in a Co Wicklow forest was one of the first for the firm and is still mentioned as one of our reader’s all-time favourite house tours. clancymoore.com

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