A System for Ordinary Housing
SJK Architects in association with Gerry Cahill
Illustrated Talk / Keynote Lecture on a project that was highly commended for the RIAI Silver Medal for Housing 2026.
The Mick Lally Theatre, Druid Ln, (off Quay Street)
17:00-18:30 hr, Thursday 24th September 2026
FREE entry – but prebooking is advised via link below.
“A System for Ordinary Housing” builds on Ireland’s social housing tradition— from the masterplan and house types of Marino in Dublin designed by Horace O’Rourke in the 1920’s; to the Bord na Móna villages designed by Frank Gibney in the 1950s.
Gerry Cahill’s and SJK Architects’ collaboration learns from and follows this experience of simple, high-quality social housing to form connected senses of place in 21st Century Ireland.
“Own-door houses placed close to the street, modest front garden spaces neatly enclosing bin and bike storage, vernacular gables and corner buildings all contribute towards a safe and truly welcoming living environment. Theses are places where the community is clearly thriving. The concept of proposing a system of principles and details for use across the country is particularly welcome - in housing - as an ambition for why design matters.” – Jury Citation, 2026 RIAI Silver Medal for Housing.
bio
SJK Architects (SJK.ie) is an architecture practise established 1954 and led since 2013 by Edel Tobin, Elaine Naughton, Dermot McCabe and their team of talented architects and technologists with offices in Galway and Westport working on projects country-wide. The quality of SJK’s work is consistently recognised for focus in solving client’s problems, delivering excellence on time, budget and quality, and by Irish Architecture Awards; Public Choice Awards and the RIAI’s Silver Medal for Housing.
Gerry Cahill is an Irish architect whose built work is primarily in housing. Most of Gerry’s homes were delivered with local authorities, voluntary organisations, or approved housing bodies. Through his teaching at UCD, Gerry Cahill influenced the work and lives of hundreds of architects practising in Ireland and elsewhere, including the team at SJK. The book “Care and Consideration: on the work of Gerry Cahill Architects” was published 2025
Project Credits;
Employer: National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) / Department of Housing / Cork County Council / Clare County Council / Waterford City and County Council / Galway City Council.
Client Design team information
Architect SJK Architects in association with Gerry Cahill
Dermot McCabe, Elaine Naughton, Edel Tobin, Gerry Cahill, Orla Murphy, Eoin Kavanagh, Blair Stanaway, Ruth Fox, Lisa Fox, Ollie O’Brien, Brian Corcoran.
Project Management National Development Finance Agency
Quantity Surveyor Currie and Brown
Structural Engineer Hayes Higgins Partnership
M+E Engineer Matt O'Mahony & Associates
Landscape Radharc
Planning Consultant HRA Planning
Fire Consultant Jensen Hughes
Assigned Certifier AECOM
Public Private Partnership Contractor Design and Build team information
Contractor JJ Rhatigan + OHL
Architect Rhatigan Architects and Avanti Architects
Client TORC Housing Partnership
Project Management Equitix and Kajima Partnerships
Structural Engineer Punch Consulting Engineers
M+E Engineer Varming
Landscape Flannery Landscaping
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