We absolutely nailed outdoor dining during the pandemic.

And now Cork has been recognised nationally for having some of the best alfresco seating options in the country.

Meitheal Architects and Princes Street Traders scooped the Placemaking Award at the prestigious National Property Awards 2022.

The Princes Street project was the first trial of its kind in Ireland and achieved what no other city in Ireland did during COVID, establishing a new and exciting prospect for traders and the public alike.

“It set a national precedent for outdoor living and positive use of the public realm.” the company said in a statement.

“The project also provided lockdown socialising, at a time when it was very much needed. A completely new attitude towards outdoor spaces provided many challenges, which were overcome with vision, hard work and collaboration.”

Meitheal Architects, together with Cork City Council, set the standard for placemaking in Ireland. In fact, 17 other streets in Cork City also received funding as a direct result of the success of the initiative and are now permanently pedestrianised.

Following on from this successful scheme, moves are also underway to pedestrianise several areas of Dublin City Centre, Dun Laoghaire, Limerick and Galway.

“This is a great acknowledgment of the excellent vision of the team and project partners. Our core philosophy of ‘building together’ has delivered a sustainable design with exceptional spaces.” said Managing Director, Patrick O’Toole.