The Irish Architecture Foundation have put the spotlight on noted Irish midcentury architect Andy Devane in this year’s Open House Dublin with tours of five of his great Dublin buildings: the Irish Life Centre, St Fintan’s Church in Sutton, Our Lady Queen of Heaven at Dublin Airport, St Patrick’s College DCU campus and Gonzaga College, pictured. Take a look at them all here:
ST PATRICK’S COLLEGE, DCU CAMPUS
St. Patrick’s College located in Drumcondra, serves as Ireland’s national primary school training institution. The campus comprises of a Chapel designed by Andy Devane, as well as a gymnasium, dining hall, residential accommodation, library and teaching facilities. Andy Devane’s signature style at the time, can be seen in the material palette of the campus-exposed concrete, brick and copper roofing. This Open House weekend will provide tours throughout the grounds of the college, visiting buildings of note throughout Saturday 14 October from 11.00am – 5.00pm.
OUR LADY QUEEN OF HEAVEN
Now a hidden corner of tranquillity within the bustle of Dublin city airport, Our Lady Queen of Heaven was completed in 1964 when the complex was sparse. The church is constructed in brick and concrete, with a concrete bell tower above flat roofs. The building is entered through an atrium surrounded by a generous courtyard enclosed by columns, with an Imogen Stuart sculpture at the centre of the landscaping. Inside, the church is brick-lined and softly lit, with bands of rich colour thrown by abstract stained glass at the perimeter and along the nave. Don’t miss out on visiting this architectural gem on Saturday 14 October from 11.00am – 5.00pm.
IRISH LIFE CENTRE
The Irish Life Centre on Middle Abbey Street was the first major mixed-use development in Dublin City, and has been the HQ of Irish Life since the building’s completion in 1980. Visit this recently refurbished wonder on Saturday 14 October. Note: places on this tour will be distributed using a lottery, which has now closed.
ST FINTAN’S CHURCH
After World War II, the north-shore of Dublin Bay saw a huge suburban expansion. St. Fintan’s was built in response to the needs of Sutton’s new residents. Designed by Andy Devane, a parishioner and principal architect of Robinson, Keefe, and Devane, it was erected in 1973 and is widely considered to be one of the more attractive of Dublin’s new churches. Open Saturday 14 October from 12.00pm – 5.00pm.
GONZAGA COLLEGE
Initially the school consisted of the three Bewley buildings on the site, one being used for the school, one as a Jesuit house of residence, and one as a lunch room, changing rooms, science laboratories, etc. In the 1950s Andrew Devane of Robinson Keefe Devane Architects prepared a masterplan with a school hall between the two main houses and classroom wings extending to the two main houses. Visit Gonzaga College on Saturday 14 October from 11.00am – 5.00pm.
Open House Dublin (OHD) invites Dublin’s citizens to explore their city as when buildings not usually accessible to the public and buildings of architectural merit open their doors over the weekend of October 13th – 15th
All architectural tours are provided by expert guides, with free admission. For full details check out openhousedublin.com The weekend is organised by Irish Architecture Foundation.
