Housing and how it is provided remains a vital issue across the city of Dublin today. Where and how we should provide housing for a changing population are some of the most pressing issues facing the city. Housing builds community and it develops a sense of place for these communities. As the current challenges in housing show, building houses is more than just an adequate number of rooms. It is one of the main ways that the city’s population retains a sense of itself.
2018 marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of Herbert George Simms. Through his work with Dublin Corporation, Simms was responsible for some of the most elegant and highest quality housing that remains in Dublin city to the present day. From Cabra, Crumlin and in the heart of the city, Simms’ work and vision for Dublin are still present. Their presence is not just about housing, but fostering communities.
To recall his work, and in light of the significant challlenges that face housing in the present, this set of events will draw together some of the main ideas about Simms’ work in and legacy for Dublin city. Through seminars, oral histories and visual representation, the conference will examine Simms’ legacy to the city of Dublin, assess his contribution to the development of communities across Dublin and provide a lens through which to view current contexts.
We are seeking contributions from all to help remember the work of Simms but particularly from:
- Residents of Simms-designed housing
- Architectural historians
- Geographers
- Planners
- Local history groups
- Photographers
- Poets and other artists
- Housing policy workers
- Community workers
Email: simmsdublin@gmail.com
Twitter: @Simms120
Conference committee:
Mary Broe, PhD candidate, Maynooth University
Donal Fallon, Historian in Residence, Dublin City Council
Erika Hanna, Department of History, University of Bristol
Rhona McCord, Contemporary Irish History, TCD
Eoin O’Mahony, School of Geography, UCD (chair)
Paul Reynolds, Stoneybatter History Group
Ireland after NAMA 