RIAI president Carole Pollard. image courtesy of Donegal Country Council / webcast library

The Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI) has announced that Carole Pollard will be RIAI President from January 2016. Carole Pollard will take over from Robin Mandal, who is President until 31 December 2015.  David Browne will take over from Garett O’Neill as Honorary Treasurer in Janaury 2016.

Carole Pollard says: “I am honoured to be nominated as RIAI President 2016/17 and look forward to the many challenges that lie ahead.  I will build on the excellent work of the current Council which was guided under the outstanding stewardship of Robin Mandal.  The profession of architecture is entering yet another period of change and it is my intention that the voice and expertise of the architect will be at the forefront of debate and decision-making as the construction industry enters a new phase.”

A graduate of the Dublin School of Architecture DIT (1988), Carole Pollard set up her own practice in 1992 after a period of working in private practice. In 2007 she completed an MA in History of Design at NCAD and has complemented her practice with work in the area of architectural research and education. Carole is author of Seven Donegal Churches, a compendium of eight books on Liam McCormick and his Seven Donegal Churches, published by Gandon Editions.

Since becoming a member of the RIAI in 1991, Carole has had a close involvement with many work-groups and committees, including being a founding member of the RIAI Small Practice Forum 1993-1997; RIAI Council member and Honorary Treasurer 1996-1997; RIAI Council member and Vice-President 2000; and RIAI Council ordinary member 2001.  In addition she was a founding member of the Part-time/Flexitime Workers Resource Group 1998-2000, and an adjudicator in the RIAI/Waterford Stanley Design Competition 1997, RIAI Regional Awards 2000 & 2006 and RIAI Client Awards 2001. 

Carole Pollard is a member of RIAI Board of Architectural Education and was, for a period, the RIAI representative on the Architect’s Council of Europe's work group on Professional Practice.  From 1999 until its cessation in 2014, she was on the Professional Practice Examination Board and in the role of Convenor from 2004, and has worked as an Assessor for the Route C entry to the Register of Architects.  She was elected as an RIAI member of the Technical Assessment Board 2013-2015.

In 2015, Carole Pollard was nominated as the DIT AGA Council member and, during the past year, has been working on developing RIAI Employment Policy with a view to supporting lifelong sustainable careers in architecture.  She was a member of the RIAI Governance Review Steering Group and is a member of the current RIAI Audit & Remuneration Committee.

Carole Pollard is a member of DoCoMoMo Ireland and was chair of the committee in 2013/14.  She is currently Secretary of the Irish Architects Benevolent Society.

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