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About Open Office Architects

Open Office Architects was founded in 2005 by Claire McManus and Majella Stack.

The practise was originally based in La Catederal where we shared a fantastic studio space with artists, craftsmen and fashion designers. However, as our workload grew so did our space requirements until we eventually had to make the move across the Liffey to our current premises which we share with the brilliant A2 Architects at No.3 Great Strand Street.

Claire McManus - B.Arch BSc. Arch

Claire McManus studied in University College Dublin, and Technische Universiteit Delft, The Netherlands and graduated with honours in 2002 (BScArch) and 2005 (BArch).

In 2003/2004 she worked for AFK Architekten in Aarau, Switzerland and jointly won the Alasdair McCabe prize with Laura Harty for the Goldfields and Ghosttowns study trip which was run by Dr Hugh Campbell in association with the University of Western Australia. She founded Open Office Architects in 2005 with Majella Stack.

Niall Ó hÉalaithe - B.Arch BSc. Arch

Is as Rathfearnáin i mBaile Átha Cliath é Niall (agus tá sé bródúil as sin). Rinne sé an Árdteist i gColáiste Eoin, Baile an Bhóthair, Contae Átha Cliath i 1999 agus bhí sé beagáinín brónach a chairde uilig a fhágáil, go h-áirithe cailíní Choláiste Íosagáin!

Níor mhair an mothúcháin brónach sin i bfhad áfach, ach go dtí gur thrasnaigh sé an bóthar ansin go Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath. Rinne sé an chéad chuid den Chéim ansin an B.Sc. (Arch. Sc.). Chaith sé tráth ag obair i bPáras le Patrick Mellett and Associates agus ag cleachta modhanna nua flanérie ar na Boulevards.

Rinne sé cúrsa FETAC Ealaín is Deartha i gColáiste Dún Droma agus bhain se amach sár gradam ansin. Bhí an phribhléid aige oibriú le ailtirí den scoth, Donaghy Dimond and Associates ar sráid Phrionsias. D'fhill sé ar Richview agus d'éirigh leis céim onóracha a aimsiú B.Arch le tráchtas a bhí dírithe ar riactanaisí daoine gan dídean. Chuaigh sé go Haiti agus Niger ag obair le muintir áitiúil ar tionscanaimh le UCD Volunteers Overseas www.ucdvo.org.

Bhuaigh sé agus a ghrúpa an duais Crampton leis a dhearadh le h-aghaidh structúr shealadach don UN (Náisiún Aontaithe) a bhí inoimprach ar leoraí nó ghnáth coimeádáin loinge atá 40 troigh ar fad. Bhí go leor feidhmeanna ag an structúr ar nós halla sport don Airm, ospidéal shealadach nó dídean a cur ar fáil i rith cogadh nó i ndiadh crith talún 7rl.

Ghlac sé le cuireadh Claire agus Majella chun bheith páirteach i gcomhoibriú an oifig oscailte. Is breá leis a slí bheatha ag réalú brionglóidí agus ag sárú rudaí do-dhéanta..............

Seán Fogarty - B.Arch BSc. Arch

Seán studied at the University College Dublin School of Architecture and the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO) under Gro Bonesmo (ex OMA and founder of SpaceGroup). While studying Seán worked for several architectural firms including Douglas Wallace Architects in Galway and after receiving his Bachelor of Science in 2002 he moved to Paris to work for Patrick Mellett and later that year for ADPi where he worked as a modelmaker for the €200M Dubai International Airport Terminal 2 project.

Seán received his BArch degree in 2005 having completed his thesis on the potential for transcribing Seán Scully's paintings into Architecture. After graduating Seán worked for two years with NDBA in Dublin, during this period he was involved in a variety of large residential and commercial developments throughout Ireland, including acting as Project Architect for the Boyne Tower landmark office development in Drogheda. Seán joined Open Office Architects in 2007.

Majella Stack - B.Arch BSc. Arch