Curated by Common Knowledge, HOMEWARD is a conversation about the fundamental ingredients that make up a home.
We will go beyond the bricks and mortar to explore what really constitutes a home space, and how best to cultivate a sense of home in any environment. We will explore the role of design, food and community, and how these interlinked ideas can help us create more joyful homes. We will also explore the current housing crisis and discuss what we can do both as individuals and as a community to maintain a sense of home throughout.
Speakers:
Shelley McNamara (Grafton Architects), Anthony Freeman O’Brien (Robert Emmet Community Development Project), Aisling Rogerson (The Fumbally), and Harrison Gardner (Common Knowledge). Hosted by Rosie Lynch (Workhouse Union).
Shelley McNamara and Yvonne Farrell co-founded Grafton Architects in 1978, having graduated from University College Dublin in 1974. They are Fellows of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI); International Honorary Fellows of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA); members of Aosdána; and Professors at the Academia in Mendrisio, Switzerland. In 2018, they were the Curators of the Venice Architecture Biennale with their manifesto: Freespace. Shelley McNamara and Yvonne Farrell were selected as the 2020 Pritzker Prize Laureates, the award that is known internationally as architecture’s highest honour.
Anthony Freeman O’Brien is the social enterprise project manger for In Our Shoes walking tours and the Bee8 urban beekeeping project. The aim of these projects is to help change narratives around how we live in inner-city Dublin and offer new and unique opportunities to disadvantaged communities.
Aisling Rogerson is the owner of The Fumbally and The Fumbally Stables, a food and community focused business in Dublin 8. She co-founded and ran The Dublin Flea Market (2008-2019), is a board member of Teac Damsa dance theatre company, and is active in a number of co-operatives including the current care-taking team of the Dublin Dance Co-op.
Harrison Gardner is a builder, teacher and co-founder of Common Knowledge, the non-profit social enterprise focused on sharing skills for a sustainable life. With 15 years experience designing and managing the construction of conventional, sustainable and alternative buildings worldwide, his current focus is on facilitating the creation of community spaces whilst teaching the core construction principles and techniques needed to build more efficient, affordable and sustainable structures. He has just released a new book entitled Build Your Own, instructing owner-builders on the fundamentals of construction, and is the presenter of ‘Build Your Own’, a 4-part TV series with RTÉ which is broadcasting in October 2022.
As Creative Director of Workhouse Union, Rosie Lynch leads the strategic development and artistic ambition of its programme and activities. Rosie was a steering committee member of SOA’s Roadmapping a Viable Community-Led Housing Sector for Ireland Research Project (2022/21) and is actively involved in community-led housing advocacy in Ireland. Rosie’s upbringing in Camphill communities deeply informs the care and attention to inclusion in the work of Workhouse Union and their understanding of the complexity and challenges of community building and change. Rosie is a board member of Trasna Productions and was previously a board member of Kingsriver Community Holdings.
