Caelan is a registered architect (RIAI) specialising in ecological, sustainable building design. Recent work includes the energy upgrade of St John's Church, Limerick, and the Cloughjordan Amphitheatre canopy.
Recent Projects
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Coonagh House, Kildare Renovation of 18th c. country house Diasen Diathonite Thermoactive cork/lime plaster to stone walls (~50mm interior) plus Argatherm finish coat. Blown cellulose insulation at attic floor. Airtightness measures throughout using Proclima … 2022 - 2024 -
Caherhoereigh, Tipperary Renovation of 19th c. stone barracks house and new side extension & rear extension. Key points include: Existing stone walls lined internally with cork board insulation & finished internally & externally with natural hydraulic … -
Johns Mall Mews, Birr, Offaly Renovation of 19th c. stone mews house, conversion of stone barn to residential with new masonry link extension. Key Points: Protected Structure. Universal design for accessibility. Diasen Diathonite Thermoactive cork/lime plaster to stone … 2024 -
Ballyatty New timber frame extension and energy upgrade to 1970s concrete bungalow including: Pumped cellulose insulation to new timber frame roof & walls. Airtightness measures throughout using Siga products. Insulated floor slab (in existing & new … 2022 -
Main Street Cloughjordan Renovation and deep retrofit of 18th Century three storey stone building on Cloughjordan's main street into a 4 bed family home with office space on ground floor. The building had previously been converted to two apartments on first floor … 2019 -
St John’s Church/Dance Limerick performance venue This is a grade A listed (deconsecrated) church which has been the locale of the Limerick dance community since 2005. I was engaged by Dance Limerick to develop the design for an energy upgrade consisting of a new highly efficient heating … 2018 -
Cloughjordan Amphitheatre Stage Roof Canopy In 2016 I was commissioned by Cloughjordan Arts to design a roof canopy for the stage of the new amphitheatre, located to the north of the eco-village in Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary. During a visit to Tokyo and Kyoto in 2017, I was … 2018 -
Hatherley Road, Reading, UK The design brief was to upgrade and refresh a ground floor extension to a Victorian terraced house. The new ‘garden room’ includes a new kitchen and dining area, children’s play area and large sliding doors open up the space to the garden. 2016 -
Ballyeighan Gate Lodge, Birr Co. Offaly This is a 2-storey protected structure built in the early 19th century with a later rear extension built in 1910. The house was renovated and restored in accordance with conservation principles. 2013 -
Allen Cob House, Cloughjordan This is a cob house at The Village, an eco-village in Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary. The original design was inspired by the excavated underground cities in Cappadocia, Turkey in which volumes/rooms extend and expand around each other, much … 2013 -
Boherdeel House, Birr Co. Offaly The house was derelict for many years before the works began. We restored the original stone house and added a new modern extension. 2010 -
Inchicore Square, Dublin This house was a partial protected structure, an 1820s terraced house in Inchicore Square. The original house was completely renovated and we added a new 2-storey timber framed breathing wall extension. 2007 -
Beechmount, Roscrea Co. Tipperary This project required a design for the conversion of long stone barn, used for farm storage, into a 3-bedroom house in Roscrea, County Tipperary. 2008 -
Info Pavilion, Lough Boora Sculpture Park This is a rain and wind shelter providing visitor information. The shelter was commissioned by Offaly County Council. 2006 -
Burrow shelter, Lough Boora Sculpture Park This is a rain and wind shelter made of a retrofitted Bord na Mona tipper. The shelter was commissioned by Offaly County Council. 2006 -
Deery Cottage, Cloughjordan This was a long-vacant cottage in need of major refurbishment. The specification was very green and included limecrete floors and hempstalk insulation. The old thatch roof was discovered still in place, though rotten! 2003 -
Pocock-Doris House, Cloughjordan Co. Tipperary This is a new timber framed eco-house at The Village, Cloughjordan. It was originally designed by Solearth Ecological Architects. I took over the project from planning stage, completing detail design and tender, and overseeing construction. 2010 -
Allen Cob House, Cloughjordan This is a new cob house at The Village, an eco-village in Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary. The original design was inspired by the excavated underground cities in Cappadocia, Turkey in which volumes/rooms extend and expand around each other, … currently on site 2012 -
Broadsands apartment complex I was engaged by Beadonbrook Ltd to develop the design of two 3-storey low energy timber frame apartment buildings in Churston, Paington UK. 2016 -
Daintree Paper Shop and Green Building Assisted design for paper shop renovations and new apartment building 2000-2003 -
Ballybay Nature Station masterplan design for new environmental centre in County Monaghan 2000-2003 -
Airfield Masterplan masterplan design for Airfield House & Urban farm 2000-2003 -
Finglas Horse and Pony Centre masterplan design for Finglas pony kids 2000-2003 -
The Village Cloughjordan masterplan design for eco-village 2000-2003 -
Mackel & Doherty and ARD Architects I worked for Ciaran Mackel at Mackel & Doherty and ARD architects, Belfast. I designed private houses, developed housing schemes, office buildings and public artworks, after extensive consultations with clients. I also prepared and … 2006-2008 -
Parsons Fernandez Architects I worked on designs for a House in Honduras, and several Port Authority projects. 1998 -
Lee Skolnick Associates I was a designer on the team developing the permanent exhibition at Chicago Nature Museum and Guild Hall East Hampton Children's Exhibition. I also helped design various houses, including the De Niro estate in upstate New York. 1997-98 -
Frank O. Gehry and Associates I worked as a model-maker on The Guggenheim Bilbao, Lewis House, University of Cincinnati Academic Health Centre, Chiat Telluride House. 1994-95 -
Nasrine Seraji Architecture I was the model-maker for the Temporary American Centre in Paris. 1991 -
Raoul Bunschoten I was a student assistant on the installation "Soul's Cycle" at the Fort Asperen Biennale "Architecture and Imagination", and on "Skin of the Earth" at "Machines d'Architecture", Fondation Cartier, Paris. 1989-90 -
Living Place A collaborative project with Doras Luimni which explored the way we describe the places in which we live, work and play. As part of Limerick's Language Alive Week. 2011 -
Slowweave in Slow Architecture and Place Exhibition This was a participatory project about the way we experience place. I invited various people to complete a series of exercises about a place of their choosing. Slowweave was part of the group exhibition, Slow Architecture and Place, which … 2010 -
Slowweave Offaly Participatory project about the way we experience place. 2011 -
Dead Horse, LA & NYC Dead Horse was a light sculpture inspired by the tragic image of a deceased animal on a mexican road. The sculpture was installed in Los Angeles in 1994 and New York in 1997. The suspended wireframe was filled with fluorescent light and … 1994 & 1997 -
Dong, The Electric Picnic, Co. Laois Dong, (What worms would hear if they had ears) was a sound installation I developed in collaboration with Nicholas Ward. It was a large mobile of floating lampshapes which emitted sounds derived from the underground of the festival by … 2006 -
Clop, Birr Arts Festival This was a sound installation conceived for the Birr Union Workhouse, in collaboration with Nicholas Ward, for the Birr Arts Festival. Visitors walking or standing under the canopy of hundreds of shoes could hear footsteps moving across … 2006 -
Popstar, Re-production at Kilkenny Arts Festival I developed a performance called popstar as part of Re-production in the Kilkenny Arts Festival. This was comprised of a short film and live silly dancing of a bubble-wrapped character. 2006 -
Drawings, paintings and sculpture This is a range of work from my art practice since 1988. 1988-present -
Scaffold Design and construction of a Scaffold. 2009 -
Ulster Anniversary Showcase, University of Ulster School of Art, Design and the Built Environment, Belfast I was designer, curator and project manager of a 150m long showcase of 16 departments from the schools of art, design and architecture, celebrating its 160th anniversary. 2009 -
Birr Arts Festival (part of Birr Vintage Week), Birr Co. Offaly I was Artistic Director & curator of the annual arts festival. 2004/05/06 -
Faber Studios Limerick I am a co-director of this artist collective, which is part of the Creative Limerick Scheme. We have individual work studios as well as host workshops, exhibitions, talks and events. 2011-present -
Catalyst Arts Belfast I was a co-director of this artist-run organisation. 2006-08 -
Inaugural Hilltown Festival, Hilltown, Westmeath I was the first curator of the now annual performance festival. George Higgs and Sarah Lincoln performed "Glue Factory" with Nicholas Ward and Nicola Kealy Dancers also performed. 2005 -
Mary Miss, Artist, New York I was a studio assistant on various sculpture/landscape schemes and I also built the "Ladder for a Beech Tree". 2003 -
Jeff Koons Ltd. New York I was a studio painter for the Celebration Series. 1995-96 -
Bill Viola, Long Beach, California I was a production assistant on the Venice Biennale 1995 project and later prepared installation documents for completed projects. 1995 -
Peter Erskine, Los Angeles I was an art assistant for Peter Erskine, Solar Light Artist. We worked on the Secrets of the Sun Project at Los Angeles Union Station. 1994-95 -
Viewpoints - Seir Kieran, County Offaly This was a collaborative, cross-disciplinary performance project taking place at the ancient monastic site of Seir Kieran in Co. Tipperary. The 5 participants were Fiona Breen (actor/director), myself (artist/designer), Serena Brabazon … 2011 -
Cat Amongst the Pigeons, Georgian Players Birr I was the set designer for this period farce set in 19th century Paris. 2007 -
Rebecca's Robin at Bewleys Cafe Theatre This is an irish children's play for which I designed and built the set. 2005 -
And the Used to Star in Movies at Bewleys Cafe Theatre This play, written by Campbell Black, is a comedy about post-cartoon life of the Disney characters. I designed and built the set. 2005 -
Tables These are various tables designed and built in New York City. The table/plan chest combo was for a collage artist in Tribeca. 1995-1999 -
Skeletal Chair This chair was designed and fabricated in my first year at the Architectural Association. It was one of the runnerup entries in the first "Design a Chair for Joseph" competition. 1989 -
Woodland Cottage Residential house renovation and extension. 2002 -
John's Mall House Residential house renovation & extension Internal refurbishment to 3-storey Regency house including new 3-storey extension with utility room, WC, sunroom and family bathroom. 2007 -
Woodland garden cottage, Birr Co. Offaly Conversion of stone outbuilding into studio accommodation in County Offaly. 2009 -
resin casting studio assistant assisted fabricator of resin-cast furniture and artwork 1996 -
site interpreter& student at Laboratory of Primary Studies in Architecture Interpreter at renovations of La cite Radieuse, Unite d'habitation, Briey-en-foret, France. Also studied architecture theory with Don L. Bates (masterplan drawing shows runnerup entry for 1992 St Peter's church competition in Klippan, … 1990-92 -
Social Participation in Art and Design I conducted a masterclass as part of Midland Masterclass series at Hilltown Westmeath, Ireland. 2009 -
The Garden Sessions I co-organised a charity music festival for Offaly Hospice in Birr, County Offaly, Ireland. 2004/05/06