About Us

Our role as architects is to create the very best places for individuals and communities to live their lives enjoyably and with a responsible attitude to our natural resources. At BDA we place a great importance in how we work with clients, consultants and contractors and how we fulfil need and aspiration in our projects.

We value the qualities of old as well as new architecture; the everyday as well as the special. We place no limits on where our projects are located; nor how big or small they are. Significantly, we have a collection of extremely happy clients who have recorded their own experiences of working with us and living and working in the houses and buildings we have designed with and for them.

We remain on good terms with all our clients and continue to offer informal and formal advice well into the post-occupancy phase.

Call now for a free consultation: 042 9360904

Our Promise To You

  • We will provide you with a design which exceeds your expectations. We will give you ideas you hadn't thought of and provide you with different outline design options to choose from.
  • We will fully support you through the process. We will be honest with you, offer you advice when you require it and keep you fully informed of any new developments.
  • We will provide you with a bespoke service which is tailored to your unique project Our design for you will be developed in response to your specific requirements; your aspirations, brief and budget.
  • We will listen to your opinions. We will consult with you at each stage of the design process to ensure you are completely happy with the proposals before proceeding to the next stage.

Delivering Lasting Quality

We consider it vital that as architects we are involved closely with the full realisation process of any project; working closely with the building contractors in a similar way that we work with a client or a planning authority. We find that good building contractors can offer useful practical advice during the course of a project on site. We welcome this involvement especially when we can see how it benefits our clients programmatically, financially or in matters to do with quality. Good relationships underpin this type of team work.

Building the Team

Buildings are delivered by a team of different people all with particular expertise (teams of engineers, teams of builders, Quantity Surveyors etc. We help you by making recommendations on all the key contributors necessary in a building project. The more complex the project, the more specialists required and we develop close working relationships with respected firms which we will recommend.

The Way We Work

Bernard Dowdall personally head’s up every project and although you might deal with other members of staff (architects or technicians) on a day to day basis; I am always your main point of contact throughout the commission. We like to be transparent, plain speaking and always willing to discuss ideas. Our quotations are on a fixed fee basis so that you can see exactly what payment is required at each stage and we try and add value whenever we can.

We can help you make the most of your project and I’ve outlined below the processes involved.

Read More About the Processes

Meet Bernard Dowdall

I am the founding director of Bernard Dowdall Architects. I graduated from the School of Architecture, DIT, Dublin over 20 years ago and subsequently worked for highly regarded architectural practices in Dundalk and Dublin.

I set up my own practice in 2008 to focus on my love of architecture design and I now work with a small team of creative individuals who share a passion for finding the best possible solution for each client's individual project, within constraints of space and budget.

As well as having a great interest in contemporary architectural design, particularly small scale projects, I have also worked in the areas of conservation, sustainability and urban design.

Bernard Dowdall Architects is a registered practice with the Royal Institute of Architects Ireland (RIAI).