South Dublin council shines at landscape awards
South Dublin County Council earned top honours at the Irish Landscape Institute Design Awards, securing two category wins and two commendations. Their projects spanned innovative play spaces, climate resilience policies, active travel routes, and park regeneration, enhancing community and biodiversity across the county.
Award-winning projects
The council claimed the Excellence in Delivery of a Play Space award for its transformative work at Rathfarnham Castle Park. This project reimagined a conventional playground into an inclusive, nature-based environment offering play, learning, and sensory experiences within the historic parkland.
Additionally, the council was honoured for the Development of Policies to Support Climate Resilience with the SDCC Pollinator Action Plan 2026-2030. This ambitious strategy promotes biodiversity enhancement, habitat connectivity, and pollinator recovery across South Dublin, reinforcing the county's commitment to a climate-resilient future.
Commendations and wider impact
The council also received commendations in two other categories: for the Grand Canal to Lucan Urban Greenway Phase 1A project within the Built Projects - Active Travel category, and for the Jobstown Park Regeneration in the Excellence in Delivery of a Public Parkland Landscape category. The latter involved a €3.5 million investment that revitalised a neglected open space in West Tallaght into a lively destination park.
The Irish Landscape Institute Design Awards celebrate exceptional landscape planning, design, policy, and delivery initiatives that enrich communities and promote sustainable, greener living across Ireland. South Dublin County Council’s recognition underscores the vital role well-conceived landscapes play in fostering healthier environments and enhancing quality of life for residents.