This September/October the 2024 edition of Architecture at the Edge will place a special focus on the islands of Ireland. Included in this year’s festival lineup is the presentation of ‘In Search of Hy-Brasil’ and many more unique and fascinating events..
Architecture at the Edge is a Galway based not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the promotion of architecture as culture. The leading voice for excellence in the built environment in the West of Ireland, it investigates the role and impact of architecture in our lives and the world we live in, demonstrating how design enhances the quality of life, while addressing important issues of society through responsible architecture.
This year’s festival will run from Friday September 20th until Sunday October 6th, with a rich and diverse programme. The festival will include a keynote address by celebrated Architect Shane de Blacam who received the Royal Academy of Arts Architecture Prize in London in 2023, alongside a series of talks, tours, film screenings, workshops and exhibitions. Visit ArchitectureAtTheEdge.com for full details and to book tickets where required.
Director of Architecture at the Edge, Frank Monahan, said about this year's festival; “We wanted to expand on the themes explored via Hy-Brasil and offer a platform for others to open further questions and actions on the potential future with relevance to the broader cultural, material, ecological and environmental challenges that we face. To present projects that draw connections between the social fabric, cultural landscape and ecology of these islands, and engage with all that is implied in the island, as an environmental, geographical and social construct.”
Architecture at the Edge Festival Highlights;
Exhibition: In Search of Hy-Brasil
Sep 20th - Oct 6th // Festival Printworks Gallery // free // more information here
‘In Search of Hy-Brasil’ Ireland’s national pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2023, was curated by a team of five architects, Peter Carroll, Peter Cody, Elizabeth Hatz, Mary Laheen and Joseph Mackey. The project examines the relationship between the islands of Ireland and their natural environment and puts our islands’ diverse communities, culture, and experiences right at the centre. It ruminates on an ancient, mythical island off the Connemara coast and explores how it inspired Ireland’s national pavilion at the Venice Biennale. A supporting programme of cultural events in relation to this theme will also happen on various islands to include island celebrations, supporting exhibitions, film screenings, related talks, and symposia. Please visit Architecture at the Edge’s website to learn more about these.
Exhibition: Fantasy Islands
Sep 27th - Oct 6th // Outset Gallery // free // more information here
‘Fantasy Islands’ will look at fictional islands depicted across all media forms: film, TV, video games, written word and more. From Pinocchio’s Pleasure Island to Scorsese’s Shutter Island, this exhibition will curate how islands are used as testing grounds for ideas in reality and present the question: why do we treasure islands? Visitors to the exhibition will be invited to create their own fictional islands, forming part of the exhibit, adding to the library and lore of fantasy islands. In addition to this main exhibition there will be corresponding events such as an artist talk and workshop with the ‘Fantasy Islands’ team; David Lawless and Sophie Kelliher, on Saturday 28th September from 2-4pm.
Field Trips: Explore the islands of Ireland's West Coast
Sep 25th - Oct 2nd // Various Locations // From €30 // more information here
Explore the stories, landscapes and architecture of the Islands of Ireland’s West Coast with exclusive guided tours and archaeological field trips, taking place during this year's Architecture At The Edge Festival. Journey to Inishbofin Island, where Bronze Age monuments, a 17th-century fort, and tales of Viking raids and Gaelic strongholds await. Explore Inis Mór’s ancient stone forts, rich monastic sites, and the dramatic Dún Aengus. On Clare Island, delve into the vibrant seascapes and hidden landscapes of Grace O’Malley’s realm, where medieval raids and European trade were a way of life. Experience the tranquil beauty of Inishturk, home to pirate coves, towering cliffs, and a resilient island community. Finally, sail to the remote Inishkea Islands, where tight-knit communities thrived amidst national hardship, revealing a unique cultural heritage.
Spaces are limited so secure your spot today by tapping here.
Lecture: Shane de Blacam
Sep 27th // O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance, University of Galway // free // reserve your place here
Shane de Blacam was awarded the 2023 RA Architecture Prize. As part of Architecture at the Edge he will deliver a lecture with slides originally delivered at the Royal Academy London October 2023. To complete the discussion line-up, architects Cian Deegan and Alice Casey from Taka Architects will present their work and join with the group moderator Marko Milovanovic, for discussion.
Shane De Blacam formed the architectural practice de Blacam and Meagher with John Meagher in 1976. De Blacam’s buildings are characterised by their simplicity and their celebration of local materials. Throughout his career, he has been concerned with creating spaces for people to come together, including the sensitively restored Abbeyleix Library in Laois and the elegant Samuel Beckett Theatre at Trinity College, Dublin. Before forming his practice with Meagher, de Blacam worked in London with the architects of the Barbican Centre, Chamberlain, Powell and Bon. He then travelled to America where he worked with Louis I. Khan for two years on the Mellon Centre for British Art and British Studies, Yale University, New Haven Connecticut.
Music: Once Upon A Sound
Oct 5th // The Mick Lally Theatre // €10 // get your tickets here
With special guests joining them on the night, Architecture at the Edge will invite attendees to imagine themselves cast away on a desert island, and choose eight audio recordings (originally vinyl records) to take with them; discussion of their choices permits a review of their life. At the end of the evening they will invite the public to choose the one piece they regard most highly to bring with them. All are welcome to attend! This event will continue into the night with dancing til late.
This event is taking a cue from the Desert Island Discs programme which first broadcasted on BBC Radio 4 in 1942.
Performance: The Story of Hospitality
Sep 29th // The Mick Lally Theatre // €10 // get your tickets here
What is hospitality and why does it matter? This performance is a celebration of the gorgeous system we have invented for welcoming strangers. It will delve into the origins of this poetic practice, the risks involved, the philosophy behind it, the strict rules, the honour attached to it, the folklore that surrounds it. This is an invitation to see hospitality, not as an industry, but as a gut instinct that we humans have for generosity and coexistence and to reconsider our role as hosts to one another.
Story of Hospitality is written by Jennie Moran/Luncheonette and animated by dance artist Aoibhinn O'Dea and accompanied by musician Seamas Hyland.
Film + Architecture Workshop + Screenings
Workshop - Sep 28th - Oct 5th // The Mick Lally Theatre // more information here
Are you interested in how architecture and film shape our sense of belonging? In partnership with Copenhagen Architecture Festival, Architecture at the Edge are offering workshops on creative filmmaking and the relationships between negotiation, conviviality, and the impact of sites on personal experience.
Led by Sabrina Morreale + Lorenzo Perri with Sofie Stilling, attendees will explore Galway’s Public Archipelago (Islands). Participants will learn investigative observation, research, and innovative ways to map and understand the city, culminating in the creation of a 3-minute film.
Screening - Oct 5th // Pálás Cinema // free // reserve your place here
This is the result! After the one week workshop programme, join Architecture at the Edge for the premiere of the 3-minute shorts produced by the workshop’s participants.
These programme highlights are only a glimpse into the range of events planned for this year’s Architecture at the Edge festival. To see the full programme please visit their website here and then follow them across their socials on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay updated on the latest developments as they unfold.
All photos courtesy of Architecture at the Edge.
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