Architecture at the Edge Festival is known for its inspired cultural experiences and this year is no different as the festival once again presents a compelling programme, offering exclusive building tours, and featuring film screenings, exhibitions, workshops, talks and much more this autumn.

The 2025 edition of the Architecture at the Edge festival will include the presentation of Rún – Ireland’s (In)visible Buildings Project, an ongoing research project mapping the condition and extent of former residential carceral ‘welfare’ institutional sites across the island of Ireland. The research for this project is being conducted by CoLab, a group of architects who have worked in conjunction with Justice for Magdalenes Research since 2019, with an initial focus on the site of the former Magdalene Laundry at Sean McDermott St in Dublin. This work explored the question “how do we act in this place?” and drew plans for how the site might be redeveloped in consultation with survivors, neighbours of the site, and other interested stakeholders. This exhibition will display some of the research undertaken, with a panel discussion taking place in the Mick Lally Theatre on Sunday 28th September.

Other highlights include a new short film by Irish artist Laura Gannon, lectures by architect Jesscia Reynolds of women led practise VPPR, architect Andrew Clancy, and Irish Artist Yvonnne McGuinness in conversation with DJ and presenter Dónal Dineen at the Mick Lally Theatre and a Filipino Feast in the Printworks Gallery, showcasing the award-winning work of Design Lab ambassadors Eduard Valenzuela & Brian Ó Curnáin, advocates for more accessible, youth-focused public spaces in Ireland.
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Architecture at the Edge’s mission is to promote excellence in the built environment and to advocate for responsible architecture.

Architecture at the Edge (AATE) are 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, Architecture at the Edge 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.

The AATE programme has three strands: The AATE Festival, Design Lab and AATE Summer School.
Each year, the festival explores and presents ideas on the relation between the architectural world and human life through a broad public program of talks, tours, workshops, films, seminars and exhibitions in collaboration with various institutions and [inter]national partners. The festival was designed to allow the public an opportunity to discover the built environment from unexpected perspectives. It also allows an opportunity to interact with one another and to strenghten our sense of place and community.

To learn more about this year’s edition of Architecture at the Edge, please tap here.

Photo by Ste Murray