Architecture & Metamorphosis

The participation of Ireland at 9th International Exhibition of Architecture at The Venice Biennale, was a clear indicator of the change which has occurred in Irish Architecture in recent years.

This is the third year in which Ireland has participated in the Biennale and represents our most significant contribution to date.

‘Metamorph’, the theme of the 2004 ‘Biennale di Architettura’, deals with all the fundamental changes which are taking place in the contemporary world as exhibited in architecture, theoretically and in practice. Ireland’s exhibition entitled ‘Transformation of an Institution’ was represented by O’Donnell & Twomey’s Letterfrack Furniture College.

The transformation of the former industrial school to a home for Letterfrack Community College, as well as a range of community services, including Connemara Community Radio connects to the theme of metamorphosis.

In addition, two Irish projects were chosen for display as part of the general exhibition – the Heneghan & Peng project for the Carlisle Pier, Dun Laoghaire and Daniel Libeskind Theatre at the Grand Canal Dock. All three exhibits improved the image of Irish Architecture.

The theme chosen of ‘metamorphosis’ – a is particularly appropriate title, in this the centenary year of James Joyce’s Ulysses, to highlight the changing shapes and adaptations to environmental change and awareness, that have been features of architecture in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Since the early 1990s, Ireland has been going through a period of significant change and this is reflected in the architecture which has emerged during this period. The architecture produced is a result of influences and technologies that come as much from inside as outside the country and reflects a society increasingly responding to the influences of globalisation.

Ireland has itself gone through a significant metamorphosis during this time – economically, socially and aesthetically. The transformation has been profound and is evident in all aspects of our society. Inevitably, this has been reflected in the changing landscapes as expressed in the architecture of our towns and cities and in its impact on the countryside.

Similarly in architectural practice we can see the effects of this transformation: the increasing complexity of our planning system and the raft of new legislation within which the architect has to work, including proposed changes to the Health & Safety at Work Act and the Building Energy Directive are all indicator of this change. Who could have envisaged a situation where such a high proportion of new members of the Institute were educated outside Ireland.

In the field of architectural education the increased demand for architects in the Irish workforce has resulted in up to seven third level institute’s expressing an interest in commencing architectural degree courses. With the changes envisaged by the EU’s Bologna agreement, architectural education is itself going through a process of change.

In the area of architectural practice the influence of EU Legislation has had a profound effect. The competitive society envisaged by the Lisbon Agenda will significantly impact on the average Irish Architect. The abolition of mandatory minimum fee scales and of the ban on advertising continues to impact on our profession.

New forms of building contract and methods of procurement challenge long accepted traditions. The building industry has responded to the needs of the economy by adopting factory fabrication systems and other means to speed up the building process.

The profession has, since its foundation, shown a remarkable ability to evolve, while adhering to core values. The ethos of the RIAI has always been to promote quality in architecture, to ensure educational standards are maintained at a high level and to protect the interest of the client/consumer and society.

We live in times where traditions and certainties of the past are no longer static. This presents both an opportunity and threat to the architectural profession. Only by embracing this change can the profession protect its fundamental objectives.

The profession has an enormous potential to evolve by applying and transmitting knowledge on architecture, urbanism and the built environment. It is my hope that we will continue our metamorphosis into a skilled knowledge-based architectural profession working within the EU vision of a competitive, knowledge based society.

The profession has in the past achieved most in times of great social change. By embracing this change while adhering to established principles, we will provide a sustainable and enduring legacy for the 21st century.