Ahead of this year’s Open House Dublin (OHD) we’ve teamed up with our pals the Irish Architecture Foundation. who have invited some of Dublin’s creative souls to select their top five buildings or events using the ‘my list’ option on the Open House website.
Following on from the five picks of Emma Clarke of Dublin Ghost Signs, Oisín Jacob of alt-rock band Heroes in Hiding, illustrator and muralist and signpainter Holly Pereira furniture designer and maker Simon Doyle has put together his selection of five highlights from the Open House Dublin 2018 programme.
1. DUBLIN PORT PRECINCT
Facilitating the majority of port traffic for Ireland and intent on softening its boundaries to the city, Dublin Port Precinct is a great opportunity to get an inside view of the workings of the city.
I was a student here for a year and one of the main things I miss is this building and am very happy to get an opportunity to revisit the place.
Having never thought this building would be accessible to the public, I was delighted to hear that the OPW have been working hard on conservation works in the Magazine Fort and that tours are now possible.
4. GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS – 7-9 MERRION ROW
Housing the Department of Finance, 7-9 Merrion Row by Grafton Architects is a contemporary building which sits perfectly alongside its historic neighbours. It is great to get an opportunity to see the building function from within.
Iconic from a distance and in its current state of disrepair, it will be nice to walk around and imagine the regeneration of Pigeon House towards some future cultural uses.
Words: Simon Doyle
Images: Simon Doyle Oak Shelving Cait Fahy
Simon Doyle is a furniture designer and maker based in Ballymount in Dublin, with a focus on high quality design and industrial craft processes. He was recently named Furniture Designer of the Year at the 2018 Image Interiors & Living Design Awards.
Open House Dublin Weekend takes place 12 – 14 October 2018. For full details check out openhousedublin.com The weekend is organised by Irish Architecture Foundation.
