Dublin will host a major architecture conference in 2021 as part of a year-long celebration

As part of its celebrations to mark its 15th birthday, the Irish Architecture Foundation has announced a year-long series of events, culminating in a major international architecture conference in February 2021 – the Open House Worldwide Conference. 

The Irish Architecture Foundation was set up to promote architecture and the culture surrounding it in those outside the industry, and the organisation is this year celebrating its 15th birthday. To mark the occasion, it has announced a year-long programme of events, culminating in a very special one.

In February 2021, Dublin will play host to the Open House Worldwide Conference. Many of us will be familiar with Open House Dublin, also celebrating its 15th birthday this year, which gives us the chance each year to see around exceptional buildings that are not usually open to the public.

The Open House Worldwide conference gathers together representatives from the 47 cities worldwide who participate in the Open House initiative, and Dublin’s event will be the third such conference, which will see a number of events over a weekend next February.

Nathalie Weadick, director of the Irish Architecture Foundation, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing the Open House Worldwide Conference to Dublin next year. The aim of the conference is to discuss and highlight the impact that excellent design and planning has on the quality of our cities and on people’s lives – and nowhere is better placed than Dublin to facilitate these discussions.”

However, there’s plenty to look forward to before then, with a number of other exciting events announced, including The Architecture Film Festival, a new collaboration between the Irish Film Institute and the Irish Architecture Foundation which will take place from June 4-6.

Other highlights include a series of exhibitions introducing up-and-coming architects and practices in the Irish Architecture Foundation throughout the year, and an education-focused partnership with the National Museum of Ireland. This will see the organisation collaborating on projects about design, architecture and public engagement, across the museum’s four sites in Dublin and Mayo.

“The IAF is keen to build on our progress to date,” Nathalie added, “particularly as we face the challenges of the climate crisis, housing, and how we manage our shared spaces in cities and towns. With that in mind, we’ve developed an extensive programme of events over the next year to mark our 15th birthday and to highlight the importance of our built heritage to wider audiences, and to continue to raise the profile of Irish architecture both at home and abroad.”

To find out more about upcoming events, go to architecturefoundation.ie

Featured image: Gabriel Ramos on Unsplash

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