Healy Partners Architects has taken Building of the Year in Retail at the Building and Architect of the Year Awards 2026, earning the judges' recognition for a scheme that demonstrates exceptional quality and presence in equal measure.

Keanes Jewellers Limerick impressed the panel through architectural restraint and craftsmanship working in confident harmony. The judges noted that the design language is timeless, reflecting the precision associated with high end jewellery, while carefully composed shopfronts and lighting elevate the surrounding streetscape and enhance the pedestrian experience for the wider community. That sense of harmony between building and brand is not easily achieved, and the judges were clear that few entries this year struck the balance with such confidence.

That attention to detail extends beyond the visible craftsmanship. The project is supported by a clear low carbon approach, with meticulous detailing carried through every element of the build, from material selection to the finer points of construction. The result is a piece of retail architecture that delivers impact through clarity and elegance rather than scale or spectacle, achieving a level of polish that elevates the entire streetscape around it.

This is a scheme that rewards close inspection, where every junction, finish, and material choice appears to have been considered on its own merits and in relation to the whole.

Few categories demand the precision that retail architecture requires, where the building itself must communicate the values of the brand it serves. Keanes Jewellers Limerick does so with confidence, standing as a clear reference point for what considered, character-led retail design can achieve.

It also reflects a wider shift within Irish retail architecture, where commercial clients are increasingly willing to invest in design quality as a long-term asset rather than a short-term marketing exercise, and Healy Partners Architects has demonstrated exactly what that investment can deliver.

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