DUBLIN 2025: A CITY IN CRISIS... OR A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY?

On Wednesday 7th May a hundred architects, planners, city thinkers and engaged Dublin citizens gathered in the City Assembly House for the Irish Georgian Society and Dublin Civic Trust’s DUBLIN 2025: a city in crisis or a golden opportunity? conference.

The conference focused on the historic city of Dublin, its potential and its current challenges. Pressing themes including recognition and presentation of the built heritage, a shared vision for the future, housing and quality of life, public realm and citizen engagement were addressed. The expert speakers discussed the legacy of built heritage the city has inherited and the challenges facing the city such as a lack of affordable and quality housing, civil unrest, pollution and litter etc. The conference also examined new building developments, the reuse and repurposing of built heritage, and new local and national government initiatives. The presentations recorded by videographer Conor Waters are now available to watch on the Irish Georgian Society’s YouTube channel (click on the live links to watch each of the four individual sessions).

The Irish Georgian Society wishes to take this opportunity to thank our partners, Dublin Civic Trust, and our expert speakers and chairs. This conference forms an action of the IGS’s Conservation Education Programme, which is overseen by Emmeline Henderson, IGS Assistant Director & Conservation Manager, and is in receipt of key funding from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The programming of the conference was supported by the Irish Georgian Society's Architectural Conservation and Planning Committee, in particular Susan Roundtree and Dublin Civic Trust's CEO, Graham Hickey.

Additionally, the Society wishes to thank The Heritage Council for providing the Irish Georgian Society with its Heritage Organization Support Fund 2025. Lastly, the IGS wishes to acknowledge the support of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland and the Irish Planning Institute for recognising the Dublin 2025 conference as CPD for their members.

Session 1: Dublin Past & Present: Where We Were, Why We Are (Chair: Donough Cahill, Executive Director, Irish Georgian Society)

• The Future of the Past - a project of recovery? Niall McCullough’s ‘Dublin An Urban History’ and ‘Dublin - Creation, Occupation, Destruction’ by Valerie Mulvin (Keynote Speaker) RIAI Grade 1 Conservation Architect, and a Director at McCullough Mulvin Architects.
• Working in, with and for the Historic City by Owen O'Doherty, Acting City Architect, Dublin City Council
• Irish Cities in Crisis; prime issues; Galway 2070 study; some thoughts about Dublin crisis by David Browne, RIAI, Chairman of RKD Architects and Jim Coady, FRIAI, Consultant to COADY Architects, co-editors of Irish Cities in Crisis (RIAI, 2024).

Session 2: Dublin Today: The Challenges, The Opportunities (Chair: Alexander Downes, Chairperson, Dublin Civic Trust)

• The City which mistook its crisis for a plan by Gráinne Shaffrey, RIAI Grade 1 Conservation Architect, Urban Designer and a Director at Shaffrey Architects.
• Inner City or City Centre? We Need to Talk about the North Georgian Core by Graham Hickey, CEO, Dublin Civic Trust.
• Beautiful, Sustainable, Together - Reframing the Georgian legacy of Dublin to support its adaptation in a sustainable and inclusive way to benefit present and future generations by Nicola Matthews, Senior Architect, Dept. of Housing, Local Government & Heritage.

Session 3: Dublin Housing: The Endless Pursuit of a Liveable City Centre (Chair: Charlotte Sheridan, IGS Architectural Conservation & Planning Committee)

• Mapping Urban Beauty - A Public Good by Dr Paul James Kearns, Urban Planner, Author, Researcher
• Dead or Alive? Dublin’s Struggle with Zombie Urbanism by Dr Gavin Daly, Urban Planner, European Spatial Planning Observatory Network.
• "Who is Dublin really for?" by Dr Lorcan Sirr, Senior Lecturer in housing at Technological University Dublin.

Session 4: Dublin’s Future: Visions for Change, Examples that Inspire (Chair: Michael Wall, Chairman, Irish Georgian Foundation)

• Thriving places – celebrating character and context through engagement-led planning in Ireland by Alistair MacDonald, Director of Allies and Morrison.
• The Laundry Penthouse: a recent cooperative housing development in Paris by Paul Arnold, Architect.
• 10 Big Moves: Taoiseach's task force for Dublin city centre by Máire Henry, VP RIAI, Director of dhb Architects.
• Concluding remarks/precis by Olivia Kelly, Dublin Editor of The Irish Times.

Session 1: Dublin Past & Present: Where We Were, Why We Are (Chair: Donough Cahill, Executive Director, Irish Georgian Society)

The Future of the Past - a project of recovery? Niall McCullough’s ‘Dublin An Urban History’ and ‘Dublin - Creation, Occupation, Destruction’ by Valerie Mulvin (Keynote Speaker) RIAI Grade 1 Conservation Architect, and a Director at McCullough Mulvin Architects.

Working in, with and for the Historic City by Owen O'Doherty, Acting City Architect, Dublin City Council.

Irish Cities in Crisis; prime issues; Galway 2070 study; some thoughts about Dublin crisis by David Browne, RIAI, Chairman of RKD Architects.

Irish Cities in Crisis; prime issues; Galway 2070 study; some thoughts about Dublin crisis by Jim Coady, FRIAI, Consultant to COADY Architects, co-editors of Irish Cities in Crisis (RIAI, 2024).

Session 2: Dublin Today: The Challenges, The Opportunities (Chair: Alexander Downes, Chairperson, Dublin Civic Trust).

The City which mistook its crisis for a plan by Gráinne Shaffrey, RIAI Grade 1 Conservation Architect, Urban Designer and a Director at Shaffrey Architects.

Inner City or City Centre? We Need to Talk about the North Georgian Core by Graham Hickey, CEO, Dublin Civic Trust.

Beautiful, Sustainable, Together - Reframing the Georgian legacy of Dublin to support its adaptation in a sustainable and inclusive way to benefit present and future generations by Nicola Matthews, Senior Architect, Dept. of Housing, Local Government & Heritage.

Session 3: Dublin Housing: The Endless Pursuit of a Liveable City Centre (Chair: Charlotte Sheridan, IGS Architectural Conservation & Planning Committee)

Mapping Urban Beauty - A Public Good by Dr Paul James Kearns, Urban Planner, Author, Researcher.

Dead or Alive? Dublin’s Struggle with Zombie Urbanism by Dr Gavin Daly, Urban Planner, European Spatial Planning Observatory Network.

"Who is Dublin really for?" by Dr Lorcan Sirr, Senior Lecturer in housing at Technological University Dublin.

Session 4: Dublin’s Future: Visions for Change, Examples that Inspire (Chair: Michael Wall, Chairman, Irish Georgian Foundation)

Thriving places – celebrating character and context through engagement-led planning in Ireland by Alistair MacDonald, Director of Allies and Morrison.

The Laundry Penthouse: a recent cooperative housing development in Paris by Paul Arnold, Architect.

10 Big Moves: Taoiseach's task force for Dublin city centre by Máire Henry, VP RIAI, Director of dhb Architects.

Concluding remarks by Olivia Kelly, Dublin Editor of The Irish Times.