A new Irish film entitled Places for People, which marks the launch of Ireland’s new National Policy on Architecture, features in the inaugural New European Bauhaus (NEB) Festival.
The NEB Festival is the highlight of this year’s NEB programme and runs from 9-12 June online and in-situ in Brussels. This ambitious and culturally diverse festival will bring together exemplar projects and presentations from Europe, including hosting 60 speakers from all around the world in the Forum, over 100 innovative NEB projects will be showcased across the city in the Fair including over 200 side events in Brussels and in European countries.
For this reason, Ireland is delighted to be participating and contributing to this cultural initiative.
At the centre of the film, Places for People, are extensive interviews with Ireland’s Cultural Ambassadors for Architecture, Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara, who recently won the most prestigious prize for architecture in Europe, the EU Mies Award 2022.
Using stunning footage of new Grafton Architects’ projects set in three very different contexts, the historic Georgian city, former institutional lands to the edge of the city, and the historic and industrial port of Dublin.
The film explores how we can transform our cities into places for people, through high-quality architecture and thoughtful ‘urban acupuncture’ through the inspirational work of Grafton Architects – the ESB Building, the Educate Together School within the Grangegorman campus, and their transformative plans for reconnecting Dublin Port to the historic core of the city.
The film also resonates deeply with the values of the New European Bauhaus of an architecture that is ‘beautiful’, ‘sustainable’, and brings people ‘together’.
The film Places for People narrates the vision of the national policy on architecture and speaks to the values of the NEB – the importance of a culture of architecture and how a high-quality built environment can benefit people, nature, and the planet.
The film was commissioned by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) and the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) and made by architectural filmmaker Ros Kavanagh.
Minister of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, TD said, “I think it is crucially important how we design the places we live in. Our expertise in architecture is a really vital resource for us to draw on. While addressing many of the challenges we are facing, I firmly believe that our new policy, ‘Places for People’, and its actions will enhance this work by helping to deliver high-quality homes and workplaces as well as public amenities in which our communities can flourish.”
Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcom Noonan, TD, added, “The National Policy on Architecture forefronts the vital role of Architects and built environment professionals in addressing sustainability and social challenges. The policy’s emphasis on working creatively, innovatively and respectfully across boundaries, capturing the values of the New European Bauhaus, is key to long-term sustainability and well-being”.