Tuesday, April 23, 2024
The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI), Dublin 2
Please RSVP Here
An EGM has been called, for members to vote in the election of the new AAI President and on proposed amendments to membership categories and charges. It is scheduled for the evening of Tuesday April 23rd.
Attendance at the EGM is for AAI members only. Please RSVP through Eventbrite following the instructions at the end of this email.
AAI Presidential Election:
Meet the Candidates
Below, in their own words, the four nominated candidates set out their particular interests and intentions for the future of the organisation.
Declan Quirke
AAI Co-Treasurer + AAI Sponsorship Officer
“I grew up in the Blackstairs Mountains of County Carlow and currently work at Allies & Morrison Architects in Dublin. I joined the AAI committee in 2022 after returning from Stockholm, where I studied my masters degree. In the past year, I’ve enjoyed being part of the committee and helping to organise and run some wonderful events. As our numbers grow, I’m excited to see the AAI becoming even more active, as well as more welcoming and inclusive.
I see the role of the president as a facilitator of the broad range of voices that make up the AAI. We have an amazing base of members and partners and a committee of extremely talented people running the association. I would love to see it become even easier to become a part of this community; easier to join, to get involved and to run activities. I would like to see the committee become a forum of conversation and for activities to take form organically out of this.
Creating new customs of engagement and a solid base of easily shared digital systems would allow the AAI to become a support for anyone wanting to shape the discourses of architectural culture.”
Elizabeth Pfister
AAI Co-Secretary + Digital Officer
“I recently completed UCD’s Masters of Architecture programme, and I am currently working in Dublin. I joined the AAI committee in 2023 and have since taken on the roles of Digital Officer and Co-Secretary of the association. I am responsible for the AAI website as well as other digital platforms.
I wish to balance the role of the organisation as a resource for architectural professionals with its responsibility of serving as a public platform for Irish Architecture. AAI events are open to the public, and architectural discourse is not limited to architects. Anyone who feels affected by the built environment might benefit from AAI events and activities, from those who find themselves responsible for the maintenance and repair of buildings to those impacted by the housing crisis, from persons attending cultural events as a means of entertainment to those with an interest in social justice who are questioning the roles of building and planning within the wider political climate. I believe that architectural dialogue is meant to be circulated beyond the tightly knit sphere of architectural professionals. Therefore I wish not to make the Architectural Association less Architectural, but to find ways to invite a more varied range of people to engage with the AAI.
In order to do so, I believe it is crucial to focus on architectural themes which are highly impactful to a significant number of people, focal points in our collective awareness. Topics which are specific and even sometimes technical, which deal with a wide range of scales, from that of building details to cityscapes. Delivering such content may take the form of already occurring lectures, site visits, exhibitions, publications and events, but the AAI programme may grow to include more workshops, research initiatives and perhaps even debates. These additions to the AAI agenda would seek to include a wider range of participants and members while still providing value and enrichment for architectural professionals.
Furthermore, I wish to expand the publicity and visibility of the AAI, both to those within and outside of the architectural community. Achieving this would involve marketing AAI events to a wider audience, perhaps collaborating with universities and other institutions in order to do so. Greater prominence of the organisation might also involve collaboration with architecturally adjacent organisations, especially those with involvement in the arts, sciences and social disciplines.”
Harry Hogan
AAI Co-Secretary + AAI Publications Officer
“I joined the AAI committee in 2019 as a way of getting more involved in architectural culture and meeting others outside of working in small practice. Since then, I’ve been involved with the Programme, Awards, and Publications sub-committees. I am currently the Publications Officer, and Co-Secretary.
I am biased of course, but after joining the committee, I was immediately drawn to the distinctive approach. If our members make it all possible, it’s the committee that makes it happen! Being a voluntary organisation there’s a generosity of spirit that’s hard to find. At every meeting, there was a genuine exchange about the potential of ideas and their value to Irish architectural culture, rather than just cost implications. It’s that thing of value vs cost. The AAI’s commitment to platforming new ideas and conversations was evident and really exciting. The emphasis was always on making it work.
Personally, I am interested in the social, material, and ecological implications of architecture, and would love to have the opportunity to platform lectures and conversations with practitioners broadening the definition of architecture.
My goals would be to build on the work of our past two Presidents: Ronan Kenny brought the organisation into the 21st century, digitising a lot of our processes, and Orla O’Kane whipped us into shape, creating structure and organisation as well as innovative programming. I am interested in consolidating these legacies with a new digital strategy, focusing on communication and sharing our programme through digital channels. I would collaborate more with students, via competitions, roles and lectures, and host lectures that appeal to other built-professions or people engaging with architecture outside of the traditional route.
Regardless of the outcome of this election, I will get our annual publications back on track, and will work with the committee to prioritise external funding and sponsorship. Building on the success of The Annex last year, I would love to find funding and spaces in the city for meanwhile-use where we can have a temporary home, and platform many more conversations and events.”
Rob Curley
AAI C0-Treasurer + AAI Programme Officer
“I am a member of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland. I hold a Masters Degree in Architecture from University College Dublin, and studied at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. I have previously worked for award winning practices in Ireland including ODOS Architects and RKD Architects, on both residential and commercial projects. I am a painter and occasionally write. I am passionate about sustainable urban development and I am a regular contributor on housing policy issues in Ireland.
I co-founded my architectural practice, Maremoto, in 2021. We became outspoken on housing issues after reviewing a series of seriously substandard #BuildToRent schemes and having looked into the policies behind them. We often say that we were radicalised by a floorplan. Specifically, the floorplan of an SHD application in our local area. I still spend time combating the wilful misinformation and sound-bite propaganda about Irish housing propagated online, and I am a regular contributor on housing policy issues in Ireland.
As the current Programme Officer I am planning a series of lectures and events around housing projects, and will be delighted to organise the AAIs first Pride event this year. I am passionate about advancing the opinion of the architecture profession in public discourse and would like to continue the work to incorporate the AAI.”