The Irish Times

It is a real measure of the wealth of architectural talent in Ireland today that such significant buildings as the Guinness Storehouse, the Project arts centre in Temple Bar and W5, the recently opened science centre in Belfast's Odyssey complex don't feature in this year's RIAI Regional Awards. Along with 46 other projects such as the Warehouse apartments off Clanbrassil Street and the Old Distillery mixed-use complex on North Ann Street, north of the Four Courts, they are merely included in the exhibition. Yet the number of awards, at 29, is the highest ever given since the scheme was inaugurated 12 years ago. The aim, as ever, is to convey the range and quality of work done by Irish architects at home and abroad during the past year. No attempt is made to identify a "building of the year"; as the RIAI's director, John Graby, points out, "such judgments are for the future" when new buildings can be considered more maturely.