Our Studio

We are an award-winning, female-led, architectural practice, with research and expertise in Passivhaus Design, conservation and creative placemaking.

We love working with clients to find design solutions to spatial problems. We enjoy crafting new buildings, and working sensitively with old or listed ones. We help maximise the potential of sites and spaces. We create beautiful homes that enrich your everyday life.

Our People

Aisling Shannon Rusk
Founder

Áine McEnoy
Architect

Katie Stringer
Architect

Graeme Goudy
Senior Architectural Technician

Liam Walshe
Part II Assistant

Emma Kane
Part I Assistant

Beth Schmidt
Part I Assistant

“…The progress has been very impressive, especially considering the terrible problems and delays our neighbours have had with various applications; we'll be letting them know they should have gone with Studio idir!”

Nicola
Planning approval for a Development site in Malone

“We put ourselves in the hands of our architects and gave them a broad brief. We found their attention to detail both inside and out, to be impressive, from the positioning of the house in the landscape to the smallest details inside. We were introduced to ideas and possibilities which make the house stand out… When overwhelmed by the choices to be made in building a house, they were always ready to give advice and direction. Studio Idir managed the construction process and negotiated that relationship well – there was never any tension or disagreement between us. We now live in a beautiful and contemporary house where we enjoy the light and space, as well as functionality. We find it a calm haven and a wonderful home in which to move around, entertain friends and just be. For this we are very grateful to Studio Idir.”

Leslie
New house in the countryside

“…We are so impressed with your management of the project and very appreciative of all you have been doing. It’s fantastic and we love working with you! “ “We are really loving being in the house. It’s such a tranquil space. We’re so appreciative of all that Studio idir did to make it so special.”

Paula
Extension and renovations to a listed house in Malone Conservation Area

“…We’ve found that we now use the space in the house so much better than we did. We took the exact design [you suggested] for the kitchen and it turned out beautifully, we’re so pleased…” “Thank you so much for your time. I really learned a lot in the hour we spent together, and it was great to have a fresh pair of eyes on the house. Your ideas were fantastic, ones I would never have thought of myself and they’ve really got me thinking. It was incredibly helpful. I also appreciate all your advice on next steps. Thanks a Million.”

Various
1-hour architectural consultation

"Thanks again for all of this – it’s really great. We’ve just been commenting on how clear it is that you all go above and beyond in the details of finding creative ideas and finishes for a project, and are passionate about what you do. It’s given us a lot to think about!"

Alex
House Extension in Belmont Conservation Area

"The approach adopted has been very inclusive, transparent and delivered in a professional manner using numerous methods to engage with key stakeholders and truly listen to views. [T]he teams have brought creativity to the forefront of this work and integrated findings into emerging themes and proposals making it a user friendly and [...] meaningful plan that all our stakeholders will benefit from."

Mid-Ulster District Council
Cookstown Place Shaping Plan (delivered with Starling Start)

"[The] public Consultations were excellent. They were very well presented and encouraged open engagement. We felt that all ideas, suggestions, and feedback were carefully considered and carried forward into subsequent presentations… Communication with stakeholders throughout the process was excellent, and it was clear that Studio Idir understood the objectives of the project brief."

Wicklow County Council
Public engagement, design and Planning drawings for Black Castle Grounds

Who we work with

We work across Ireland and the United Kingdom at a wide range of scales, from residential extensions and newbuild houses to creative placemaking at the urban scale and £2 million+ commercial developments. We embrace the challenge of working within constraints, such as complex sites, restrictive planning policy and conditions, or retrofitting old buildings with passive principles.

Whether the project is for a private, public or a commercial client, at a large or small scale, our approach is the same: applying creative thinking to the spatial requirements and aspirations of our clients.

Image for Mourne Yoga

Mourne Yoga

Mourne yoga offers a variety of classes to improve mobility and wellbeing from their base on a rural County Down homestead. Studio idir worked with them to transform and extend some old stone farm buildings into the Goat House Retreat, for yoga retreats and associated activities and events.

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Starling Start

Starling Start co-designs inclusive and ambitious strategic plans, blueprints, or approaches that guide cultural development; and dreams up and develops magical one off gatherings and sustained programmes that are guided by people and place.  Studio idir and Starling Start frequently collaborate on creative place-making projects, such as 9ft in Common and Banbridge Place Plan.

Image for Finn Lough Luxury Hideaway

Finn Lough Luxury Hideaway

Michael and Gillian welcome visitors to share in their wild little corner of Ireland at Finn Lough, providing a place of quiet calm in this ever moving world. Finn Lough is a luxury hideaway resort. Studio idir have been as their design partners in preparing a masterplan for the future development of the resort, including extending their accommodation, spa offerings and renewable technologies.

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Paperxclips

Paperxclips is an independent, queer-owned and operated bookshop, barbershop, coffee shop and community space in Belfast. They do their best to make this place a home for the queer community of Northern Ireland, and a place where all can find comfort and community. Studio idir is working with Paperxclips on approvals for  their new city centre space.

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Laurelbank Farm

Laurelbank Farm is a community interest company focused on growing, based in a Co.Down homestead. Their vision is to reconnect people to the land, and to nourish and empower people through farming and feasting.  Their mission is to create an inspiring and thriving small-scale regenerative, organic farm.  Studio idir designed their catering and event space. Laurelbank is a creative partner on our 9ft in Common project, exploring the food growing potential of Belfast alleyways.

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Intu Modular

From boutique eco-cabins to scalable modular container buildings, Intu modular creates memorable, functional spaces that are faster to deploy, easier to maintain, and built to last. Studio idir are working on barrel-shaped, pre-fabricated luxury glamping pods with Intu Modular.

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Wicklow County Council

In 2025 Studio idir worked on two multi-disciplinary projects with WCC: the RIAI Town Challenge award for Arklow Tidy Towns; and the Black Castle Public Realm Enhancement Project. Read more about them on the WCC website or RIAI Working with your town and neighbourhood page.

Awards

1774 Pavilion Winner BCSA Structural Steel Design Awards 2025
1774 Pavilion Commended RIAI Awards 2025
Katie Stringer Winner RSUA Rising Star Award 2025
Katie Stringer Winner Building and Architect of the Year Awards - Rising Star 2025
1774 Pavilion Shortlisted Building and Architect of the Year Awards - Social Impact 2025
Lough Road House Shortlisted UK Wood Awards 2024
Lough Road House Shortlisted RSUA Design Awards 2024
Ballyhackamore House Winner RSUA Design Award 2023
Ballyhackamore House Winner RSUA Small Project of the Year Award 2023
Ballyhackamore House Winner RIBA Regional Award 2023
9ft in Common Highly commended RIAI Awards 2023

Publications

Studio idir completes Arklow Proposals Arklow Tidy Towns Architecture Ireland 2025 June
RIAI Public Choice Awards Friends' 1774 Pavilion Irish Examiner 2025 June
Lough Road House Lough Road House Living Design Magazine 2025 (Spring)
A Case Study of Friends’ Pavilion Friends' 1774 Pavilion Perspective 2025 (January)
Downsizing without Moving Lough Road House Image Interiors Magazine 2024 (June)
Complete Overhaul Church Lane Self Build Ireland 2024 (Spring)
Extension for Modern Living Ardenlee Avenue Self Build Ireland 2023 (Autumn)
A Carefully Crafted Vision Adelaide Park The Sunday Times 2023 (6th August)
Ballyhackamore House Ballyhackamore House Premier Construction 2023 (May)
RSUA 2023, Small Project of the Year Ballyhackamore House RIBA Journal 2023 (June)
RSUA Design Award Winner Ballyhackamore House Perspective 2023 (July)
Ballyhackamore House Ballyhackamore House Belfast Telegraph 2023 (May)
Davidson Prize 2023 Longlist Rhiz.Home Architect’s Journal/Dezeen/BD/Big Issues 2023 (March)
Shortlist for West Belfast Social Housing Take Back the City Architect’s Journal/Perspective 2022 (October), 2022 (December
Victorian Triumph St Jude’s Avenue Self Build Ireland 2021 (Spring)
40 under 40 Director Profile Architect’s Journal 2020 (December)
Balancing Act Irwin Avenue Image Interiors 2020 (Jan/Feb)
Cabin Fever Finnebrogue Woods Image Interiors 2019 (May/June)

Aisling Shannon Rusk
Founder

Aisling studied Art in Manchester before completing her studies in Architecture (with first class honours) in Aberdeen and Cardiff, where her award-winning student work was twice shortlisted for the prestigious RIBA Presidents Medals. She has worked in London, Edinburgh, New Zealand and Belfast projects with a range of scales. Prior to establishing Studio Idir she built her reputation locally undertaking a number of widely-published residential projects as a sole practitioner. Her PhD investigated spatial practices that build connection within the divided contexts of Palestine/Israel and Northern Ireland. She teaches MArch at QUB in the Streetspace Studio with Agustina Martire, is the inaugural chair of RSUA Women in Architecture and sits on the RIBA Validation Panel.  Aisling was selected  as one of the Architect’s Journal’s 40 architects under 40 in 2020.  She lives in East Belfast with her husband and two children.

Áine McEnoy
Architect

Áine studied Architecture in University College Dublin, graduating with Honours in 1996. She has worked for architectural practices in Dublin, Berlin and Belfast, including de Paor Architects, de Blacam & Meagher Architects, and O’Briain Beary Architects where she consolidated practical skills of working on larger scale healthcare and residential projects. Following a career break (to raise her three children), Áine worked as a sole practitioner on small scale domestic projects while also teaching at the School of Architecture at Queen’s University, where she still contributes as a studio tutor. Before joining Studio idir, she worked at the award winning practice McGonigle McGrath in Belfast, gaining valuable experience in carefully delivering high design quality private dwellings, extensions and refurbishments.

Katie Stringer
Architect

Katie studied architecture at the University of Bath and Queen’s University Belfast, and went on to work for practices across Bath, Bristol and Belfast before being welcomed into Studio Idir in 2019, and completing her Part 3 qualifications in 2020. Katie has experience leading and contributing to the design and delivery of residential, public realm, conservation and educational projects, as well as community engagement research. She has also provided illustrative and visualisation skills to a number of personal and work projects, and in 2023 gained her Passivhaus Designer Certificate. In 2025, Katie was awarded the RSUA and BAYA Rising Star awards.

Graeme Goudy
Senior Architectural Technician

Graeme studied the Built Environment with Information Technology at North Down and Ards Institute.  He has 20 years of experience working in architecture, gaining extensive knowledge on a wide variety of projects and sectors. Graeme began his career in Ostick and Williams Architects working on high-end pharmaceutical, educational and large retail projects throughout Ireland, then moved to New Zealand to work on a range of fit-out and timber-frame projects. On returning home he ran his own consultancy firm for 6 years before working with Calico Architects before joining Studio idir in 2020. In 2023, Graeme gained his Passive House Designer Certificate.  He lives in the heart of the Ards Peninsula with his wife and young family. He has a strong passion for sport and is a keen follower of Ireland and Ulster rugby teams.

Liam Walshe
Part II Assistant

Liam studied at University College Cork where he was also awarded a scholarship to attend Washington State University during his third year studies. Liam spent the next two years working for PBA Architects in his home city of Kilkenny, gaining critical knowledge and experience. He completed his masters of architecture at Queen’s University Belfast (with first class honours) where he developed a keen interest in conservation and rural architecture. Liam’s MArch thesis stemmed from his research into rural heritage and was based in Mount Stewart Estate. He was awarded the Charles Lanyon Memorial Prize and HERoNI ‘measured architectural drawing of the year’ award. In 2024 Liam passed his Part 3 exams.

Emma Kane
Part I Assistant

Emma graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with First Class Honours in June 2025. Her final undergraduate project included testing hempcrete and exploring its acoustic capabilities through the design of a centre for Irish music. Emma is passionate about architecture that priorities craftsmanship, structural honesty and placemaking, creating spaces which offer people a sense of belonging. She was awarded the QUB Undergraduate Writing Prize for her research examining how architecture has reinforced institutionalised segregation in Belfast. Alongside architecture, Emma is a keen photographer and enjoys all things musical!

Beth Schmidt
Part I Assistant

Beth graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in 2024 with First Class Honours, exploring reuse and community within her student work. Since graduating, Beth has gained practical experience in construction, contributing hands-on to several community-led projects across Germany and Finland. Beth is passionate about architecture that enhances people’s everyday experience, and completed a short internship with the id22 Institute and Cohousing Berlin in 2025. In her free time, she enjoys painting streetscapes in oil, capturing both Belfast and far-away places from her travels.

 

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