3D Design Bureau

Construction is progressing on the redevelopment of Roebuck House at Our Lady’s Grove in Dublin 14, where the existing historic building is being restored and extended to provide a new purpose-built hostel. The approved scheme will deliver 24 ensuite bedrooms, including two fully accessible rooms, with completion currently targeted for March 2027.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has issued a decision to grant planning permission for a new 22-home residential development on the former Dalkey Lodge Nursing Home site in Dalkey. The approved scheme will introduce a mix of houses and duplex apartments, alongside landscaped open spaces and supporting residential amenities.

South Dublin County Council has granted planning permission for a major mixed-use development at Whitestown Way in Tallaght, Dublin 24. The approved scheme will bring 169 homes, commercial space and a crèche to the site, alongside new public spaces and supporting infrastructure.

The Colt Collection in Foxrock has been chosen by the public as 3DDB’s Best Project of Q2, securing 61% of the vote. Auburn Woods finished in second place, receiving the next-highest share of votes from this quarter’s shortlist.

Meath County Council has granted permission with conditions for revised plans at Cell 27 within the wider Dunshaughlin East residential development. The modification replaces 64 previously approved apartments with 51 homes across a mix of houses, duplexes and apartments, while also changing how community facilities are provided within this part of the scheme.

Plans have been submitted for a new 24-home residential development in Howth, North of Dublin. Proposed for lands between Kitestown Road, Thormanby Road and Balkill Road, the scheme would deliver a mix of detached and semi-detached houses, alongside public open space, landscaping and new pedestrian infrastructure intended to support a well-connected residential setting.

Ireland’s planning framework is moving from Local Area Plans towards new area-based plans, but the core idea remains the same: translating higher-level policy into clear, place-specific guidance for a defined area. That guidance typically covers issues such as land use, density, height and built form, movement, and the public realm.

Hotel projects need to be understood, discussed and promoted long before they are built. In that sense, they are not so different to other types of development. What tends to vary is what people need to see early on. For planning and stakeholder engagement, for example, the priority is accuracy and context, clear representation of massing, materials and how the proposal sits within its surrounding environment.

Following last year’s article on the key trends shaping the AEC industry, we are back to share what we believe will define 2026. These trends are not entirely new. Many were already building momentum in 2025. The difference this year is that they are becoming more connected, with better data, clearer processes, and higher expectations around certainty, speed, and quality.

As 2025 draws to a close, the CIS Construction Industry Forecast 2025–2027 provides a look at what the next phase of growth could mean for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Long before construction begins on-site, a great amount of work goes into preparing a project. Among the key elements of this preparation are architectural visualisations, which play an essential role during the planning stages and later help property developers and estate agents market units off-plan as construction progresses.

With housing demand rising and urban density increasing, apartment developments have become central to urban planning strategies. In Ireland, this topic has been at the heart of ongoing debates, particularly following the announcement of new apartment design standards by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, alongside the Minister of State for Planning.

Welcome to Ep. 1 of the 3D Design Podcast. We have scoured the internet’s biggest forums, search engine queries, and keywords to find the web’s most asked questions about architectural […]