Valerie Mulvin and Niall McCullough founded McCullough Mulvin Architects in 1986, since then they have been joined by fellow directors Ruth O’Herlihy in 2006, and by Corán O’Connor in 2017. Together with other long-term collaborators, we work at a range of scales on public and civic projects including cultural buildings, libraries, healthcare, schools and University buildings, with a particular focus on place-making, context and innovative conservation. McCullough Mulvin’s approach is thoughtful, our way of building applicable in any culture and society. Combining contemporary insight with highly developed conservation skills, the practice creates innovative projects that fully integrate old buildings with new architecture.
The practice is highly collaborative and open in its dialogues; clients form part of the team with the end result reflecting dynamic exchange. McCullough Mulvin extend our practice through research, writing and films, exploring the themes that inform our work.
The studio’s work has been recognised both nationally and internationally, with award winning buildings.
Our work has been exhibited widely in Europe, Asia and America and exhibitions in Italy; Germany; the UK; Spain; Prague Quadrennial 2007 and Lisbon Triennale 2007. The Displaced exhibition travelled to Ahmedabad, India during 2019 and has been supported by Culture Ireland.
In 2022, our installation "Join the dots... 100 small ideas for sustainable change" was selected as one of the winning entries of the Housing Unlocked competition run by the Irish Architecture Foundation and The Housing Agency. The Housing Unlocked exhibition ran at the Science Gallery in Dublin from October 2022 to February 2023. McCullough Mulvin's installation displays answers to the question: How can we use untapped potential to solve housing problems in our towns?
- Selected Exhibitions
- "Join the dots...100 small ideas for sustainable change", Housing Unlocked, Dublin Oct 2022- Feb 2023
- Displaced Longitude, Open House, 16 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2019
- Displaced Longitude, CEPT University, Ahmedabad, India 2019
- Displaced Longitude, Dublin Castle Chapel, Dublin 2018
- Displaced Longitude, Sao Bento Metro Station, Porto, Portugal 2017
- McCullough Mulvin Orange, Dublin 2017
- Geology/Biology, Czech Architecture Festival 2016 at Ostrava, Brno and Prague, Czech Republic 2016
- Irish Architecture, Leuven, Belgium 2011
- Irish Pavilion - The Lives of Spaces, Venice Biennale 2008
- Mies van der Rohe Awards 2005 & 2011 for Temple Bar and for Trinity Long Room Hub
The work of the practice is extended by publication, teaching and research. In 2015, our work was documented for an international audience by the publication of a monograph by TC Cuadernos ‘McCullough Mulvin Arquitectura 2004-2015’. Our directors have been involved in teaching in the Universities in Ireland, the UK and Scotland as well as Spain and Switzerland. They have each lectured widely throughout Ireland, the UK, the US, Europe and India.