As we continue our tentative re-emergence into the real world, the architecture calendar for March 2022 offers something for all realities. Online and hybrid events continue to be offered, one of the few positive adaptations to come out of the public health crisis in terms of inclusion and accessibility, and one we hope to see continued.
Following the evocative Cloud Studies, Visual Carlow again pays host to another exhibition of architectural note. Tom dePaor’s I See Earth, in part a retrospective of his 30 years in practice, through sculpture, film, soundscape and drawing, runs until the end of May. While in the building, it would be remiss of you not to engage with architect Helena Fitzgerald’s installation A Space for Making Good Decisions About Place, a study of the importance of local-level decision making in tackling the climate catastrophe and biodiversity crisis.
UCD’s Centre for Irish Towns resumes its programme of engaging talks, with their 3rd March engagement discussing the unique character and challenges of towns along the Northern Ireland border. Join online to hear speakers Caroline Creamer (Maynooth University), Killian Doherty (Edinburgh School of Architecture) and Dr Paula McCloskey and Dr Sam Vardy (a place of their own). The event is free, however registration is necessary via eventbrite.
3rd March also offers an in-person talk (if you can imagine such a thing) at the Irish Architectural Archive on Merrion Square. Urban designer Jonathan Tarbatt presents The Urban Block, a lecture based on his recent book of the same name exploring masterplanning rules and when to bend them. The event is organised by UCD Urban Design, in association with the AAI, and is sponsored by Henry J Lyons architects.
Life is a Dream is an exhibition by final-year students at Waterford IT’s Department of Architecture in the neighbouring Garter Lane gallery in Waterford City. On display are design charettes, volumetric and spatial responses to philosophical texts, with this year’s students tackling Calderon’s Life is a Dream. The exhibition runs until the 15th March and is the ideal visual appetiser before catching one of the plethora of live theatre and independent films scheduled at Garter Lane this spring.
Limerick in late February was ground zero for a new trend of guerrilla walking tours highlighting the blight of dereliction and vacancy in our town centres – lead by William Duffy (@DerelictLimk on Twitter). Rather fittingly then, the Strand Hotel in Limerick pays host to the RIAI Housing Conference on 28th and 29th March. Held in conjunction with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the theme for the 2022 event is ‘Future Settlement: Living Cities & Towns’ and boasts an impressive panel of speakers. Let’s hope dereliction is an agenda item.
