The Dún Laoghaire Baths by dlr Architects and A2 Architects has been announced as the proud winner of the prestigious AR public awards 2024.
Originally built in 1843, the Dún Laoghaire Baths have been redeveloped by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, and include the restoration of a pavilion, a new jetty featuring in-built seating, a changing canopy, a refurbished Edwardian gazebo and a new walkway from Newtownsmith. This public space facilitates sea bathing, water sports and events, connecting residents with the Irish Sea.
The winning project was selected by a panel of judges including Ricky Burdett, professor of urban studies at the London School of Economics; Aziza Chaouni, associate professor of architecture at the University of Toronto and the founding principal of the design practice Aziza Chaouni Projects; and Günther Vogt, founder of Vogt Landscape Architects.
Günther Vogt said: “The architecture and outdoor spaces of the Dún Laoghaire Baths are powerfully designed to resist an unrelenting force of nature: the sea. The buildings and promenade nevertheless convey an inviting atmosphere. The materials seek a dialogue with the rocks in the surf – cast from gravel, water and cement, they appear like geological formations, both materially and in terms of the dimensions of the individual parts”.
