Irish architects, according to Dominic Stevens, "have forgotten the importance of their craft, and have become window dressers, designers and style merchants . . . making chic bits of architectural jewellery to adorn the back gardens of the bourgeoisie". Stevens, who turned his back on Dublin when he relocated his practice to Co Leitrim in 1999, appealed to his fellow architects to use their skills in a "braver, more daring and progressive way" and seek to make a real difference at a time in Ireland when so much is being built. He makes this provocative plea in the lavishly illustrated catalogue for this year's Architectural Association of Ireland (AAI) Awards exhibition, which features quite a few cool, smart domestic extensions and conversions for clients with firmly upward social aspirations.
