RIAI talks at the Irish Times Home & Design Theatre
REGISTERED ARCHITECTS FROM THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF THE ARCHITECTS OF IRELAND (RIAI) WILL BE LENDING A HELPING HAND TO ATTENDEES AT THE SPRING PERMANENT TSB IDEAL HOME SHOW, WITH THEIR TALKS ON EXTENDING AND RENOVATING.
“When designing, extending and renovating your home, it can be difficult to know where to start,” says Sandra O’Connell, Director of Architecture and Communications at the RIAI. “An architect can set you on the right path. Our aim at the RIAI is to promote the value of architecture and the benefits of working with a registered architect, and that is what we will be doing at the permanent tsb Ideal Home Show.” NEWTRENDS RIAI architects will be giving talks at the Irish Times Home and Design Theatre at the centre of the Irish Times Home Interiors Fair. Sandra says there is a natural synergy between the RIAI and what the Irish Times Home and Design Theatre is doing with their presentations on home interiors. The RIAI talks are designed to highlight emerging trends in the architectural world. “We have noticed a number of trends for the next generation of homeowners. Because of increasing house prices, many young couples are looking to see if they can build on their parents’ land at the back of their house, or on sites in small urban areas. We believe there are a lot of great sites hidden away just waiting to be discovered. The architects speaking at the show will be sharing examples of what can be done with them.” Another trend is young couples looking for ways to do up a house in stages as they may not have the budget to renovate the entire house at one time. The RIAI will discuss this in their talk, ‘The fixer-upper: how to renovate a home in stages’. “A homeowner may want an expensive dream kitchen straight away when they move in,” says Sandra. “But, the architect might advise them to get a modest kitchen and only replace the windows, which can help with the heating bills. They could then get their dream kitchen later down the road when more money becomes available. “Our experts can take homeowners through their options. An architect can develop a masterplan for a house that will give you a vision of what can be achieved in five and ten years. This is what architects are trained to do. They see what the house will change and grow into, over the coming years and that is one of the reasons why they’re so valuable.” THE NEXT GENERATION At this year’s show, the RIAI are bringing a younger generation of architects in to speak to attendees. Sandra says that since she knows the issues new homeowners have, these younger members can help them by bringing a lot of fresh innovation to their projects. “There are many traditional ways of doing up a house and these traditional ways of thinking can prevent new designs being implemented. For example, an extension doesn’t just have to be a glass-covered box put onto the side of a building, as there are many other solutions. This is where our younger practices can provide a lot of quirky, fresh ideas and innovative new ways of thinking. “We have a great mix of younger and more experienced practices at the show, many of whom have their own stands. We also have Róisín Murphy from RTÉ’S ‘Desperate Houses’ speaking on Friday about small spaces and how to live with less. We are all very excited about that, so there is a great mix at the show.”
SHARING IDEAS
The RIAI will be covering a wide range of topics in their talks. Sandra says people should bring photos and ideas with them to the show. This way they can have productive discussions around what they want. “There are issues in designing and renovating, such as building regulations and compliance to be considered. A registered architect is qualified to deal with these issues and get the right result for their client. Everybody wants to get the most out of their home and that is possible with a suitable architect.” The RIAI has a new charity programme, ‘RIAI Simon Open Door’ which was launched to the public on April 5th. This is where any member of the public can book a one-hour consultation with an RIAI architect for €90 which will be donated to the Simon Community. “Dermot Bannon is the spokesperson for this and I think it’s an amazing programme. We hope people take advantage of this opportunity and help a good cause at the same time. “There will be plenty of opportunities to meet architects and ask questions about this and any upcoming projects and arrange a future consultation at the show.”