Limerick's International Rugby Experience shortlisted for architecture award

THE INTERNATIONAL Rugby Experience in Limerick has been shortlisted for the 2023 Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI) Public Choice Award, which looks to find Ireland’s favourite building or public space of 2023.

The International Rugby Experience is the only Limerick-based entry in the public vote, which is open until midnight, Tuesday, June 20, and the winner will be announced on June 22 by RIAI President, Charlotte Sheridan.

IRE board advisor, Keith Wood, called on Limerick to vote for the new building: "This is Limerick’s only entry this year and it would be great to do what Limerick does best – come together and show pride in the county.

"We’ve received widespread support for the project over the last number of years, and to win this respected award would be a great bonus for the IRE.

"I’ll be the first to put this weekend’s fierce rivalry aside - let’s make it happen and get voting before the deadline passes."

In Pictures: Out and about in Limerick this weekend

The IRE was designed by renowned architect Níall McLaughlin; the six-storey, fully interactive Experience launched last month and is inspired by World Rugby’s values of Passion, Discipline, Integrity, Solidarity and Respect.

Níall McLaughlin Architects (NMLA) commented: "The new building sits on the edge of a conservation area within Limerick’s Georgian Quarter.

"On such a tight urban site, the challenge lay in creating a building with capacity for the intended use but that sits comfortably in the context of the finer grain of the Georgian Quarter.

"The design approach was to consider this as a special civic building rather than a townhouse and the architectural proposals were developed through research into historic civic buildings set in Georgian streetscapes, referencing the scale of churches and civic halls.

"The completed structure and brick expression provide a tangible link to the building’s function and are key to the visitor experience."

You can vote for the awards here.