Our Judges
An independent panel of recognised and expert judges, representing the architecture world, will determine the winners of the Building and Architect of the Year Awards.
Our focus is to deliver a balanced judging assessment from industry leaders who will bring their extensive knowledge, enthusiasm and expertise to the judging process ensuring that the winning entries are truly outstanding and worthy of receiving an Building and Architect of the Year Award.
The panel is carefully selected to ensure the Awards' judging process is fair and objective. The judges are bound by a strict confidentiality agreement and are required to declare any conflict of interest in entries over which they deliberate, in which case that entry will be reallocated. The integrity of this process lies at the very heart of all that we do.
We recognise and respect the sensitive nature of the information submitted in the entries. Submissions are not disclosed or discussed outside the judging process. We do not publish the names of companies, organisations or individuals that have not been shortlisted for an Award, nor will we reproduce any information from your entry unless prior permission is given.
A comprehensive judging process has been put together to decide the worthy winners of the Building and Architect of the Year Awards:
Judging Co-ordinator
Frank McDonald - Author & Former Environment Editor of The Irish Times
Frank McDonald started his journalistic career shortly after graduating from UCD with a BA in history and politics, as New York correspondent for the Irish Press, subsequently becoming a sub-editor and reporter for the paper before joining The Irish Times in 1979, becoming Environment Correspondent in 1986 and Environment Editor in 2000.
Judging Panel
Claire Solon - Head of Property, Aviva & Board Member, Home Building Finance Ireland
Claire Solon is Head of Property at Aviva and on the Board of Home Building Finance Ireland. She currently holds the position of past-President of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland.
Fergal MacCabe - Founder, MacCabe Durney Barnes
Fergal MacCabe is an architect, town planner and artist with a particular interest in Irish housing. Author of the Residential Density Guidelines and a co-author of the Urban Design Manual, he is a former President of the Irish Planning Institute.
Derry Kearney - Managing Director, Cundall Ireland
Derry is the Managing Director for Cundall Ireland where they offer multi-discipline engineering consultancy.
Michael Stiff - Director, Stiff + Trevillion Architects
Qualified as an architect in 1981, Mike went on to form Stiff + Trevillion after working for Rock Townsend and Chapman Taylor. In the 1990s he ran the Berlin office.
Brian Jennings - Architect, Designer & Principal, Jennings Design Studio - Architects
With over 20 years experience Brian now leads the design studio in Dublin 1 with an outstanding team that are the Winners - Architecture Practice of the Year - Irish Construction Industry Awards 2018.
Derry Scully - Group President, Linesight
Derry was one of the founders of Linesight in 1979. With almost 40 years of experience in the industry, he has built strong strategic partnerships with some of the world’s largest multinationals and acts as project sponsor for major multiphase technology developments in Ireland, Europe and the US.
Máire Henry - Director, dhb architects & Head of The Department of Architecture, Waterford Institute of Technology
Máire is Head of The Department of Architecture at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT). A graduate of UCD from 1985 she spent a decade working with Pritzker winning architect Renzo Piano in his Paris office.
Alan Mee - Owner, Alan Mee Architects
Dr. Alan Mee is a built environment consultant, researcher, urban designer and architect working in urbanism, architecture, and education.
Tim Darmody - Director, Darmody Architecture
Since qualifying as an architect in 1995, Tim has worked on numerous architectural and urban planning projects, both in Ireland and abroad, in a wide spectrum of sectors. Throughout his career he has developed a reputation for detail and the delivery of the highest standards of creativity and functionality.