RSUA Women in Architecture have visited Caroline Dickson Architects at the Foyle Civic Trust for their inaugural practice visit.

After an introduction by Peter Tracey, chair of the Foyle Civic Trust, attendees learned about Caroline's education and experience, which included a stint at Scott Tallon Walker in Dublin, a year working in a practice in Greece, and some time in Liam McCormick's office before setting up her own practice in Derry in 1971.

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The group was joined by Collette Beattie, Conservation Officer for Donegal County Council, who presented a project which they had worked on jointly – the preservation of the Fahan old church (a national monument) – which involved working stone by stone, removing trees one by one, inserting discrete structural ties, while taking care to retain the appearance of a ruin. 

RSUA President Joan McCoy said Caroline Dickson was the first architect, never mind female architect, she ever heard of, when her father was working as a plumbing contractor in Derry in her youth. An honest and open conversation around changes in architectural practice over time, female architects, procurement, architecture in Derry and the value of architects sharing resources and knowledge with each other followed.