The Office of Public Works has announced that its Leeson Lane and Magazine Fort projects have both won at this year's Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) Awards, recognising design quality, sensitivity to context and their contribution to the built environment. Selected from 175 submissions, the shortlisted schemes were judged through in-person site visits rather than photographs and drawings alone. The double win highlights the OPW's vision, craftsmanship and commitment.

Accepting the awards on the night, OPW State Architect and Principal Architect, Conor Sreenan said: "The Office of Public Works is honoured to receive these awards. This recognition for two of our projects, which are incredibly different from each other, is reflective of the huge range of work we do on behalf of the State in service of Government priorities. We share the acknowledgement that comes with these awards with our clients, including OPW Estate Management, OPW National Historic Properties and our colleagues across government departments. These two projects, and all of our projects, are simply not possible without the commitment of our OPW colleagues, project partners, and contractors."

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Leeson Lane was praised for its careful balance of restoring an existing building while introducing contemporary design in Dublin's Georgian core. The compact urban scheme features flexible, naturally ventilated workspaces with abundant daylight and city views, and now provides a city-centre home for the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and colleagues from the Department of Finance.

Dating to 1736, the Magazine Fort was honoured for the stabilisation and restoration of one of Dublin's most significant historic military sites in Phoenix Park. Over two years, specialist craftsmanship addressed structural issues in the defensive rampart walls and restored key structures, including the Magazine gunpowder store and blast wall. Reconstructing the original stone-arch Duke of Dorset Gate using traditional techniques was pivotal in reinstating the site's historical significance.

Both projects reflect the ambition of the Government-approved 2022 National Policy on Architecture, Places for People, to create high-quality places that serve people well.