The Joint National Housing Conference is set to enjoy its 50th anniversary as the biennial event gets underway in Dublin Castle today, 20 May.

This year's conference, which is under the theme '2040 – Delivering the Vision for Housing', will take place over two days with a programme comprising topics which will impact on the future form, design, location and delivery of private, affordable and social housing in Ireland.

The event is being run in collaboration between the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (DHPLG).

Speaking ahead of the conference, Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy said: "This week's conference provides a great opportunity for architects, planners, developers and housing providers from both the public and private sectors, international experts and professional advisers and officials from my own Department, to discuss ideas, solutions and emerging trends in the provision of housing. I'm pleased that the conference will explore the role of the Government's National Planning Framework, launched as part of Project Ireland 2040 last year, on the future of sustainable housing. I hope the conference will enhance national thinking on how we can meet the main challenges the National Planning Framework seeks to address: rebalancing development away from Dublin, creating a critical mass in the other major urban areas, and encouraging compact growth."

-- Advertisement --

A lineup of Irish and international speakers will discuss topics such as 'Building Height & Increasing Density', 'Small Town Revitalisation' and 'New Typologies Changing Demographics', while the event will also mark the presentation of the RIAI Silver Medal for Housing – the country's premier award for residential architecture.

Along with the lineup of guests, the event will also include an exhibition of residential housing schemes, both in planning and completed, designed by RIAI members and Local Authorities.

"Architects design houses that build lives and sustain communities. As our demographics change so do our housing needs. This conference is an opportunity to consider how we want to live as a society, how we can adapt our existing housing stock and how we can ensure quality design is at the heart of our built environment and our public spaces," said Kathryn Meghen, RIAI CEO. "The Government and public bodies are the largest procurers of architecture and design services in the State. It is our goal that every local authority in Ireland should have a well-resourced architects' department to support the development of communities from the ground up."

(CM/MH)