AROUND THE BLOCK:WHEN THE TENANT renting a space to the front of Denis Byrne Architects Dublin offices left recently, the architects decided to turn it into an architectural gallery.
Called Darc Space, the gallery “has a streetfront window and we are in the city centre, near the Joyce centre and Hugh Lane Gallery, so we thought it would be more exciting to do this than try to rent it out again in the current climate”, says Maggie Moran of Denis Byrne Architects. “Especially since the RIAI has closed its architectural gallery.”
The first exhibition, called Becoming, will launch on October 9th to coincide with the Open House weekend and will feature competition winning projects including the nearly finished Wexford County Hall by Nord Architecture, the Giant's Causeway centre by Heneghan Peng, the Dún Laoghaire library by Carr Cotter Naessens and the West Cork Art Centre by Donaghy + Dimond. Also featured will be Denis Byrne's building in Finglas for Bord Gáis (see picture), which has upped its nice-client status by sponsoring the centre.
Future exhibitions and debates will look at where the built environment is going in Ireland and sustainability.
Darc Space is at 26 North Great George’s Street – otherwise known as the Cigar Box – which won Denis Byrne Architects an award when it was first built.
