The team behind major conservation work at Dublin City Hall has been awarded a silver medal for exceptional merit by the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland.
At an awards ceremony in Dublin yesterday, the RIAI also presented a silver medal for restoration to the Office of Public Works, in conjunction with Shaffrey Associates Architects, for work undertaken at Ardfert Cathedral in Kerry.
Farmleigh House by the Office of Public Works and Maynooth Castle by de Blacam and Meagher Architects were also highly commended for conservation. The awards, which take place every three years, seek to recognise exceptional work in conservation and restoration. They are presented to an architect or architectural practice for projects of exceptional merit which are completed within a specified three-year period. This year's awards relate to 1999, 2000 and 2001.
Paul Arnold Architects, in a joint venture with Dublin City Council architects, received the award for Dublin City Hall. The award assessors said the aim of the conservation work at the building was "to present the building as a major cultural and tourist amenity - enhancing its two-tier function - a place of civic, historic and architectural significance and retaining its central function as the working parliamentary building for the city council".
Ardfert Cathedral's citation described it as "one of our most important ecclesiastical monuments which contains surviving elements from the 11th to the 19th centuries.
"The project represented a significant public-private partnership . . . Throughout every phase, extensive architectural historical research and collaboration between disciplines allowed fully-informed decisions to be made."
The medals were presented by its president James Pike. Previous recipients of the silver medal have included the Architectural Department of the Office of Public Works for the Government Buildings, Merrion Square (1987-92), and John Costello for the Royal Hospital Kilmainham (1984-86).
Mr Pike said that considerable responsibility comes with owning buildings from the past. "The importance of clients who are willing to invest financially and through their time to ensure that our built heritage is protected and enhanced for future generations cannot go unmentioned," he said.