TU Dublin Students Bring Fresh Vision to Ballymahon Through Community-Driven Architectural Research
An inspiring collaboration between TU Dublin and Longford County Council has placed community engagement and practice-based learning at its heart, as first-year students Architecture students unveiled a detailed streetscape model and architectural studies of Ballymahon’s historic Main Street.
The project, a standout example of how higher education can directly support local development, culminated in a public exhibition in Ballymahon Library showcasing a year of intensive research, design, and site visits by TU Dublin students. Through this immersive experience, students explored Ballymahon’s built environment and reimagined its future, proposing architectural responses rooted in respect for the town’s unique heritage.
The initiative, spearheaded by TU Dublin’s School of Architecture, Building and Environment in partnership with Longford County Council’s Planning Section, provided students with an illuminating opportunity to extend their learning beyond the studio walls. Working with real buildings, public spaces, and local histories, they produced high-quality surveys, urban analysis, and a 6.5-metre physical model representing the town’s streetscape in meticulous detail.
“This project represents exactly the kind of forward-thinking collaboration we need to see more of in our communities,” said Cllr Martin Skelly, Cathaoirleach of Ballymahon Municipal District, at the exhibition’s official opening. “These students have captured something special about Ballymahon – not just its buildings, but its spirit. Their work reminds us how fresh eyes can reveal new possibilities for our towns.”
TU Dublin’s practice-based teaching approach enabled students to engage directly with community needs, translating their academic skills into proposals that could shape future planning and development. Longford County Council Architect Ciara Reynolds, along with TU Dublin staff Cillian Briody and Gavin Buggy, provided ongoing guidance and insight throughout the process.
Chief Executive of Longford County Council, Paddy Mahon, highlighted the wider value of the student-led research:
“This is more than an academic project. The physical model and documentation the students have created will serve as important reference tools for our planners and local representatives as we look to the future of Ballymahon.”
Student Lena Abdulrahem reflected on the project’s impact:
“Visiting Ballymahon was an eye-opening experience. We weren’t just drawing buildings; we were learning how to understand and respect a place. Designing a market hall for the town taught us to consider history and people in everything we do. It’s a lesson we’ll carry forward in our architectural journey.”
The exhibition, currently on display in Áras an Chontae Atrium in Longford Town from Friday, 18 July to Friday, 1 August, offered the public a chance to see how student creativity and community partnership can drive new conversations about local development.
VIP visitors to the exhibition included Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Jack Chambers and Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage John Cummins.
This collaboration exemplifies TU Dublin’s commitment to community-engaged, practice-based education, where students learn by doing, and towns such as Ballymahon benefit from fresh perspectives and innovative thinking.