meet emmett scanlon of cast architecture...

thursday's post in this weeks series features emmett scanlon of 'cast' architecture...what a fantastic name for an architects firm...

CAST architecture was established by Emmett Scanlon and Sarah Cremin in 2006. CAST is a design led practice based in Dublin and since 2006 has designed houses, housing, and exhibitions and has acted to architectural advisers to Government agencies. Emmett and Sarah lecture in architecture at University College Dublin and are correspondants for A10 architectural journal based in Rotterdam.

Who or what has influenced and inspired your style…?

I would say studios we have worked in and the people we have worked there. I worked in Grafton Architects for several years and the approach to architecture there was influential. Sarah worked in Switzerland, China and the USA with Herzog & deMeuron. Today, usually our clients influence and inspire us. We do not have a house style, instead we try and develop and refine our approach to each project, allowing the individual needs and desires of the client form and mould the specific result of each project. Our projects are different as the context, clients, scale, budget etc. all vary from project to project, so too must the architecture...

What are you excited about in the world of design today…?

I am excited in Ireland about the fact that architecture is becoming more part of our social and cultural consciousness. There is a lot of work to do, but with the arrival of the Irish Architecture Foundation, the public has a door into the world of architecture now, like they have had in other artforms before. Architecture generally still remains a mystery however, it is still confused with construction or development, so we need to continue to work to discuss and debate architecture here, as it has a vital role to play in our everyday life and wellbeing. Architecture has a role to play in our streets, schools, hospitals, in our kitchens and gardens...the development of a real debate about architecture in Ireland is very exciting...

What do you think about the current state of architecture / interior architecture / interior design in Ireland...?

I think we have extraordinary talent in Ireland. Sarah and I write for A10, the European journal of architecture, and we are always so pleased to see the response to the Irish projects of our peers that we submit, there is such respect for the work and energy here. This is being helped by many Irish architects now making great buildings around the world, such as O Donnell+Tuomey in London and Grafton Architects in Milan. However, it has to be said that we are at a turning point in Ireland, we need to ensure that we find new and creative ways to support architects to work, as it is still a struggle here to find work, to make a contribution, to sustain a studio. Most people do not realise the amount of time it takes to make a small extension, the hours of labour and care good architects invest in this...Many architects are still excluded from most of the work that goes on here, I think too architects need to speak out more and contribute more to Irish society and culture. We do not have the answers to our current economic or social situation, but we do have an interesting and considered point of view...I would love to see a design leader in our Government. A lot is happening in a grass roots way now here, but I do think a leader who could drive standards in design would also be welcome...

Which building would you like to see 'unbuild'...?

I think we can learn something from everything that we build...I would not like things to be unbuilt but would prefer that we reflect more on what we do and why we do it, so we could do it better next time round...We do not have a good track record in research and reflection in architecture in Ireland...yet...!!!

Which material offers for you the most possibilities...?

We are about to use concrete again and for us this is very exciting. Our name, CAST, obviously resonates with this material, but we like concrete for its solidity, its texture, the fact that it can be a floor and wall and a bench all at the same time...we also love tiles, we used them in our Glenageary project, their possibilities is that the can go inside and out, can be floors, walls and roofs. This allows a lot of flexibility and also, we think makes buildings appear a bit more calm – we like one material that can do a lot, rather than lots of materials collaged together...We strive for this singularity of tone or material or colour when we work...we think this resists fashion and we hope it makes the built work more timeless...buildings need to last a long time...

again, i've really enjoyed posting this q&a set...i like the design principle behind the cast ideals...they don't have a style, they create a style informed and developed and refined by a client and a brief...it's also very exciting to learn about how another architect feels about the way forward for irish architecture, i welcome his notions that irish architects and designers need to speak out more and contribute more to irish society and culture...

the images posted are from a glenageary house extension and refurbishment...you can see more pics for this project and others by clicking on the link below...its great to see how clean lines and simple forms, with a strong product such as the redbricks stacked vertically rather than horizontally evoke and inform this project...

http://www.castarchitecture.ie/