Written by Jaden Parker
Ireland isn’t only making waves in how polite they are to tourists or how they celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. They also have a strong hold on the world of architecture. Let’s look at some iconic Irish architecture and Irish architects!
Through our “Women in Architecture” series, we’ve talked about Eileen Gray, the revolutionary mind of innovative furniture design and housing concepts. She pioneered the Modernist movement in architecture, and the houses she designed in the Alpes Maritimes are available to tour today after being reconstructed to their former glory by Cap Moderne. But did you know that the White House, the residence of the United States’ president, was also designed by an Irish native? That’s right! James Hoban, designer of the White House, was born in Kilkenny, Ireland in 1758. It was George Washington who urged him to submit a design for the presidential mansion in 1792, leading to its foundation being laid a year later.
As far as traditional Irish architecture goes, adapting to the location is how Ireland operates. Their vernacular housing has the recognizable thatched roofing and narrow-rectangle layout. In more recent years, Georgian architecture has taken the focus, so much so that southern Dublin is sometimes referred to as “Georgian Dublin.” Georgian architecture, getting its name from the King Georges ruling during its creation, is actually a combination of Neoclassical, Regency, and Palladian architecture styles.
Today, there are a multitude of stunning architectural pieces in Ireland. For example, the Titanic museum in Belfast is a beautiful ode to the ship we all know. With the outer structure being inspired by the hull of a ship, this building by TODD Architects is on the site where the original ocean liner was designed and built. It has a beautiful banqueting suite and six floors!
Another incredible building is the 5Cube by de Siún Scullion Architects. 5Cube was the winner of the EU’s ACE For Energy project, and it symbolizes how much resources people consume. So, the 473 barrels of oil taking up one side of the cube oppose large mirrors projecting renewable energy use in five minutes and renewable resource usage goals. The pavilion is easily movable; so it comes and goes, appearing in various places around the city!
