22 October 2024
On Friday 18 October, the 9th Floor of the new Ewart building on Bedford Street was brought to life as over 300 guests celebrated the future of the office (party) at Architecture Night 2024. The Royal Society of Ulster Architect’s annual event featured a jam-packed schedule of live music, great food and socialising. The event also saw architect Shane O’Toole receive an RSUA Honorary Membership and the night of celebrations was rounded off with recognition for the best of the next generation of architects.
The evening, led by long-standing Architecture Night MC and RSUA Honorary Member Mark Simpson, featured fantastic views of the Belfast skyline.
The event also marked the announcement of the winner of a design competition to create a shelter for an alleyway. The competition entitled ‘Under the Shelter of Each Other/Ar Scáth a Chéile’ was run by RSUA in association with 9ft in Common, Belfast 2024 and JP Corry. It was open to all designers and makers, or anyone with a good idea. There were 11 entries in total, displayed on the night in our very own 9-foot alleyway, constructed by a team of volunteers from JP Corry and RSUA.
The winning entry, ‘The Shed: Gather and Grow’ by Jennifer Speirs, William Brady and Adrienne Campbell envisions a multi-use shelter that acts as a catalyst for the transformation of Belfast’s disused alleyways into green and vibrant communal spaces. The winning shelter will be constructed in Iris Alley in West Belfast.
Recognising the talent and dedication of Belfast’s architectural students, a segment of the evening paid tribute to the outstanding work from Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University. The six best undergraduates and six best postgraduates were showcased, with Jake McManus from Ulster University winning the Bronze Medal for best undergraduate student and Rachel Murphy from Queen’s University, Belfast awarded the Silver Medal for best postgraduate student.
The evening was made possible thanks to the generous sponsorship of JP Corry, Hays Recruitment, Metal Technology, Northern Ireland Housing Executive, Eversheds Sutherland and EQUITONE.
Many thanks to MRP and CBRE for allowing us to use this fantastic space as our venue, to our incredible musicians, Taylor Lally, The Mayhem Maguires, Pump Up the Jam and Manukahunney as well as our suppliers, Yellow Door, Errigle Inn, Moonlighting, Out of Office, Batty’s Hire Services, Shaws Hire Services, Sort Design, Press Eye, Antrim Electricals & Mechanicals, North Down Marquees, Mandalay, Retro NI, Ormeau Table Tennis Club, Work Rest Play, RiverRidge, Warren (Your Man with a Van) and Plantscapes Office Plants.
Click below to read more about what happened on the night…
Students celebrated at Architecture Night 2024
Results are in for Alleyway Shelter Design Competition
Shane O’Toole awarded RSUA Honorary Membership
For a full gallery of photos by Kelvin Boyes, Press Eye click here.
Architecture Night 2024 was supported by:
