Sheila O'Donnell facts for kids

Sheila O'Donnell was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1953. She is a famous Irish architect. In 1988, she started her own architecture company, O'Donnell & Tuomey, with her husband, John Tuomey. People describe her work as "thoughtful and inspiring."

Early Life and Education

Sheila O'Donnell grew up in Dublin. She studied architecture at University College Dublin. She earned her degree there in 1976.

Later, in 1980, she went to the Royal College of Art. She got her master's degree in environmental design. She was the top student in her class.

Architecture Career and Projects

After finishing her studies in Dublin, Sheila O'Donnell worked for a famous architect named James Stirling. She helped design the Clore Gallery in London. In 1981, she returned to Dublin.

In 1988, she and her husband, John Tuomey, started their own company. It is called O'Donnell + Tuomey Architects. Their firm is based in Dublin. They have won many awards for their designs. For example, they won the Downes Medal seven times. They also received the RIAI Gold Medal in 2000.

Sheila and John have shown their work at the Venice Biennale of Architecture twice. This is a very important international architecture event. They have also been nominated for several European awards.

Designing Dublin's Temple Bar

In the early 1980s, Sheila O'Donnell was part of a group of architects. They wanted to improve the center of Dublin. She helped create the Blue Studio Architecture Gallery. This group made plans and books about their ideas.

In 1991, she became a director of this group, called Group 91 Architects. This group won a big competition. They were chosen to redesign an area in Dublin called Temple Bar. Their work was finished in 1998. This project helped make Temple Bar a lively cultural area.

Key Buildings and Designs

Sheila O'Donnell often uses watercolor paintings in her design process. These paintings have been shown in art galleries. They were displayed at the Royal Academy in London and the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin.

She helped design a student center for the London School of Economics. She also worked on a building for the Photographers' Gallery in Soho, London. Many of her projects involve designing homes, schools, and cultural buildings in Dublin.

Some of her notable projects include:

• The Irish Film Institute (1992)
• An addition to Ranelagh School (1998)

More recently, Sheila O'Donnell worked on the Cherry Orchard School. This is a primary school for children in disadvantaged areas. It was a special pilot project. The school has won many awards. The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) even featured it as an excellent example of an educational building.

Teaching and Influence

Sheila O'Donnell is a full-time professor at University College, Dublin. She has also taught and given talks at architecture schools around the world. She has visited schools in Japan, Venezuela, and the United States.

Some of the universities she has visited include:

• Princeton
• Michigan
• Buffalo
• Yale
• Columbia
• Syracuse
• Cooper Union

In 2010, she became an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. This is a special honor. She also helps examine students' work at Cambridge University and the Architectural Association in London.

Major Projects

Here are some of the important buildings and projects Sheila O'Donnell has worked on:

Completed Buildings

• Temple Bar regeneration, Dublin, Ireland (1989-2011)
• TCD Irish Art Research Centre, Dublin, Ireland (2007)
• Sean O'Casey Community Center, Dublin, Ireland (2008)
• Timberyard Housing, Dublin, Ireland (2009)
• Irish Language Cultural Center, Derry, Northern Ireland (2009)
• LSE Saw Swee Hock Student Centre, London, UK (2009–2015)
• The Lyric Theatre, Belfast, Northern Ireland (2003–2011)
• Photographers' Gallery London, London, UK (2007–2012)
• Central European University, Budapest, Hungary (2011–2016)
• Sandford Park School, Dublin, Ireland (2016–2019)
• Sunday's Well Houses, Cork, Ireland (2013–2018)
• Cavanagh Bridge UCC, Cork, Ireland (2006–2018)
• UCC Student Hub, Cork, Ireland (2015-2019)
• V&A East Museum, London, UK (2015–2024)
• Sadler's Wells Dance Theatre, London, UK (2015–2025)

Competitions Won

• Temple Bar regeneration plan, Dublin, Ireland (1989)
• London School of Economics Student Centre, London, UK (2009)
• Olympicopolis Masterplan, London, UK (2015)
• Liverpool School of Architecture, Liverpool, UK (2019)

Awards and Recognition

Sheila O'Donnell has received many awards for her work.

In 2010, she was made an honorary fellow of the American Institute of Architects. In 2013, she was a finalist for the Architects Journals Woman Architect of the Year award.

In 2015, O'Donnell + Tuomey won the RIBA Royal Gold Medal. This is one of the most important architecture awards in the world. The British Queen (Elizabeth II) approves this award. It is given to architects who have made a huge impact on architecture.

See also

In Spanish: Sheila O'Donnell para niños