AAI Rewind: 2025 Awards Panel

AAI Awards 2025 Rewind

The Architectural Association of Ireland is delighted to host a conversation with some of the architects recognised in the AAI Awards 2025, featuring both award-winning and highly commended projects. This panel discussion will explore the intersection of public sector constraints and the potential of design to enhance the lived experience particularly in light of the current political and economic climate.

Panelists include David Jameson and Rose Bonner Alexander of Tún Architecture + Design, James Shields from Thirtythreetrees, Seán Barrett from Darmody Architecture and Stephen Foley of Foley Architects, will present their experience working on civic projects, followed by a discussion moderated by Neasa Hourigan.

Harcourt Terrace Educate Together National School – tún Architecture + Design

Rose Bonner Alexander and David Jameson

They are founder members of tún – architecture + design, a design and research-based architecture practice founded with Paul Fox in 2015.

Working in education and residential design, the practice recently completed Harcourt Terrace Educate Together National School, the winning entry of the Department of Education / RIAI competition for a new urban primary school.

It prototyped a new arrangement of classroom spaces to allow additional informal learning and social spaces. This model has since been adopted by the Department of Education as a template for new schools.

The school has won both AAI and RIAI awards.

In parallel to built practice, David is a studio tutor in TU Dublin, and researches the cultural and built landscape of Ireland’s peatlands, through the Bog Bothy project.

Rose teaches in UCD and NCAD, recently completing her MA, Rethinking Demolition: An Ethos of Retention Repair and Anticipation in Architecture Today which was commended in the RIAI awards research category in 2025.

Rossaveel Small Craft Harbour – Foley Architects

Stephen Foley

Stephen graduated as an architect from Dublin Institute of Technology (now TU Dublin) and has a Masters in Advanced Architecture from the School of Architecture Madrid (ETSAM). He founded Foley Architects in 2016 which is an award-winning architectural practice driven by creating functional buildings and spaces that connect to their physical and social contexts. He led a 4th year design unit at the Cork Centre for Architectural Education and has taught at the School of Architecture Madrid (ETSAM), the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), AA Visiting School Barcelona and University College London.

In 2017 he was awarded the RIAI Future Award which is given to Emerging Irish Architects and since then his projects have won various awards among them the prestigious RIAI Public Choice Award for Ireland favourite Building, The Lark Concert Hall Balbriggan.His current work/research includes a passenger ferry terminal for Rossaveel Fishery Harbour, Killybegs Small Craft Harbour, the adaptive reuse of Lucan House Demesne on the river Liffey and community infrastructure along the Grand Canal in Lucan Dublin.

Tolka Estuary Greenway – TTT – thirtythreetrees & Darmody Architecture

James Shields

James established TTT – (thirtythreetrees) with partner Maria Vlahos in 2004. He is a graduate of Dublin School of Architecture (DIT) and is principal design director for TTT, which is based in Dublin City. Shields has been invited to speak and teach at various professional institutes and universities including, the RIAI, the AAI, UCD School of Architecture, Dublin School of Architecture (DIT), Queens University Belfast and SAUL (School of Architecture - University of Limerick). He has contributed writing and photography to various publications.

Seán Barrett

Seán holds a background in Architecture and Architectural Technology from Dublin Institute of Technology (now TU Dublin), and developed an early architectural awareness whilst working onsite for his father, a contractor based in the west. Driven about designing impactful architecture, Seán has extensive experience delivering residential, commercial and public realm projects at various scales for a diverse client range. Seán values collaboration, diversity and excellence, and working directly with clients shaping project briefs and working in multi-disciplinary design teams to create innovative architecture.

Moderator - Neasa Hourigan

Neasa Hourigan is a former Green Party/Comhaontas Glas politician who was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Central constituency from 2020 until 2024. During that time she served on both the Public Accounts Committee and as Chair on the Budgetary Oversight Committee, tabling bills on the prohibition on LNG in Ireland and inner city waste management. Prior to her political career she was both a specialist consultant in Sustainable Design and Materiality and a University Lecturer on Sustainable Community Development in Queens University Belfast and TU Dublin. She lives in Dublin.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Joly Lecture Theatre, First Floor, Hamilton Building, TCD, 16 Westland Row, Dublin 2, Ireland

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