A house hits public high note for architecture

A private house overlooking Lough Swilly in Co Donegal has become the first winner of a major Irish architectural award to be voted on by the public.

Tuath na Marawon the first Public Choice Award category in the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) annual awards, which were presented at a ceremony in Dublin tonight. Almost 5,500 people voted in the public award.

The house, with its zig-zag roof to catch both the rising and the setting sun, also won Best House award. It was designed by architect Tarla MacGabhann and his brother Antoin.

Small house extensions, hairdressing salons, and large office and public building projects were among the other 12 projects across Ireland that received awards.

President of the RIAI Sean ó Laoire said: “This shows that good design is relevant and possible for all building types not just the 'grand projets’, including once-off housing. By promoting good quality design of our buildings, as well as our towns and cities we can make Ireland a worldwide architecture destination for tourists”.

Cork received five Architecture Awards this year, with the New Civic Offices awarded for three categories: best public building, best sustainable project and best accessible project.

The winners were presented with awards by John Gormley, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

The 11 other winning projects were:

Best Accessible Project:ABK Architects for the New Civic Offices, Cork;

Best Conservation / Restoration Project:Michael Collins Associates for the Chq building, Custom House Quay, Dublin;

Best Educational Building:Murray O' Laoire for the CIT Cork School of Music;

Best House:MacGabhann Architects for Tuath na Mara, Portsalon, Portsalon, Letterkenny;

Best House Extension:A2 Architects for One up-One Down-One Deep; 11 Carlisle Street, Dublin;

Best Housing Project:There was no winner in this category. Two projects were highly commended - O' Briain Beary for the Lots Apartments, 16 Capel Street, Dublin 1, and Dublin City Council, City Architects Division, for Memorial Court, South Circular Road, Dublin 8;

Best Leisure Building:Murray O' Laoire for Tailteann Mary Immaculate College, South Circular Road, Limerick;

Best Office Development/Commercial:Bucholz McEvoy for Elm Park Office Buildings, Merrion Road, Dublin 4;

Best Public Building:ABK Architects for the New Civic Offices Cork;

Best Retail Building:DePaor Architects for the Salon, 1B Emmet Place, Cork;

Best Sustainable Project:ABK Architects for the New Civic Offices Cork.