Architectural awards go to four provinces

IT was honours even for the four provinces last night at the RIAI’s 2006 Irish Architecture Awards when Environment Minister Dick Roche presented the four main prizes to projects in Cork, Galway, Belfast and Kildare.

Cork’s big winner was the Lifetime Labs project in the site of the old waterworks on the Lee Road, while The Eye Cinema in Galway, Áras Chill Dara, in Naas, Co Kildare; and the Falls Leisure Centre in Belfast picked up the three other main prizes.

There were 12 other awards handed out to national and international entries including one for the new development at Cork University Hospital; Unicorn Theatre, London; and the Canadian War Museum, in Ottawa, Canada.

The awards were presented at a ceremony in the Dublin City Council’s Civic Offices with Ryan Tubridy acting as MC.

The winners: best of the best

Best Commercial Building: Douglas Wallace Architects and Designers for Eye Cinema, Galway City.

Best Public Building: Heneghan Peng Architects in association with Arthur Gibney and Partners for Áras Chill Dara, Naas, Co Kildare.

Best Conservation / Restoration Project: Jack Coughlan Associates for Lifetime Lab, Cork City.

Best Accessible Project and Best Sustainable Project: Kennedy Fitzgerald and Associates for Falls Leisure Centre, Belfast.

12 other buildings received awards:

* Unicorn Theatre, London — Keith Williams Architects.

* Canadian War Museum, Ottawa — Moriyama and Teshima/Griffiths Rankin and Cook.

* Railwalk, Westport, Co Mayo — Taylor Architects/Richard Murphy Architects.

* Cork University Maternity Hospital — Reddy O’Riordan Staehli Architects.

* House at Richmond Place, Dublin — Boyd Cody Architects.

* House Extension, Drumcondra, Dublin — Donaghy and Dimond Architects.

* Martha’s Vineyard, Dalkey, Co Dublin — de Blacam and Meagher Architects.

* Sophia Housing Project, Donabate, Co Dublin — Gerry Cahill Architects.

* Leinster Pavilion, Kildare Street, Dublin — Bucholz McEvoy Architects.

* Parson’s Podium, Trinity College, Dublin — Grafton Architects.

* Sean O’Casey Bridge, Dublin – Brian O’Halloran and Associates.

* Redevelopment of clinical block, St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin — Scott Tallon Walker Architects.