Moore Street / Fuinneamh Workshop Architects

Architects: Fuinneamh Workshop Architects
Area: 16,000 m²; 6,000 m² (Site Area)
Year: 2018-2021
Photography: Jed Niezgoda
Architects Team: James Kelly, Kelly Cogan Architects; James Costello
Surveyors: Geodata Surveying
Archaeologist: Eamonn P. Kelly
Client: Moore Street Preservation Trust
City: Dublin
Country: Ireland

The Moore Street Historic Area Urban Master Plan proposes a comprehensive urban renewal strategy for one of Dublin’s most symbolically resonant districts. The project focuses on retaining the distinctive grain of the north inner city while reintroducing active pedestrian routes and civic gathering points across the block. Restoration of the historic terrace forms a central component, complemented by the reactivation of laneways that once structured the area’s commercial and social life. A mixed program introduces new housing, cultural venues, retail spaces, and business incubation units, expanding the district’s relevance for contemporary uses while supporting sustainable urban vitality. The plan highlights Moore Street’s dual significance as a long-standing market environment and a nationally significant site associated with the events of the 1916 Rising. By integrating heritage conservation with adaptable development strategies, the project positions the area to accommodate future growth while honouring its layered urban identity.

For us at fuinneamh workshop architects, architecture that is comfortable to the user, appropriate in scale and proportion, utilises materials carefully and has a quality of light, is the ultimate architecture. Whether the project brief is for a single-room extension or a housing scheme, these principles still apply. We have no defined design style but only one that is respectful to the client, the brief and the site.
Interview with Seán Antóin Ó Muirí of fuinneamh workshop architects

Moore street / fuinneamh workshop architects

The proposal for the Moore Street Historic Area Urban Master Plan stems from a recognition that the district’s cultural significance and physical character necessitate an approach grounded in continuity rather than reinvention. The design strategy is shaped by the market streets’ longstanding function as a place of daily commerce and by the site’s pivotal role in Ireland’s struggle for independence. This dual legacy informs a framework where preservation and contemporary city-making operate in tandem, allowing the area to evolve without diminishing the qualities that define it.

At the core of the plan is the restoration of the Moore Street terrace, a structure identified by the National Museum of Ireland as the most important battlefield site in modern Irish history. The terrace’s renewal is paired with the reopening of historic laneways that once served as essential conduits through the dense urban fabric. By reinstating these routes, the proposal reconnects fragmented spaces and improves public accessibility, making the block more permeable and legible within the wider city.

The introduction of new civic spaces strengthens the district’s role as a public realm anchor. These open areas are designed to accommodate both everyday activity and cultural programming, supporting the market’s enduring relevance while creating opportunities for contemporary urban life. The inclusion of housing, business incubation units, a museum, a gallery, and a cultural building presents a carefully balanced mix that sustains community presence and encourages economic diversity.

Throughout the master plan, the architectural approach prioritises the retention of scale, rhythm, and material expression characteristic of the historic area. This sensitivity ensures that new interventions do not overshadow the surviving fabric but instead reinforce its significance. By combining heritage stewardship with forward-looking development, the Moore Street plan offers a model for urban renewal that respects the narratives embedded in place while enabling a more vibrant and inclusive future for Dublin’s north inner city.