Expert statements

Ruairí O’Brien Founding member

Ruairí O’Brien, ARCHITECURE. LIGHT. SPATIAL ART.

Continuing Education/ CPD/ University/ teaching

Due to the dynamic developments in the areas of PropTech, ConTech and SmartBuilding a new generation of graduates that can cope with these changes will be required soon. Future studies and training need to concentrate on the mastery of new processes and the understanding of the A to Z entire life cycle of a property. we are convinced that the highly complex processes involved in the entire life cycle of a property, from the analysis of the property to the resale to a second owner or the revitalization of an existing property, require extensive further training and new courses of study. To help achieve this end, we would like to encourage education providers and universities to develop new programs with our support. Be part of the movement! Contact us and we will be pleased to help you.

Bob Dylan’s world-famous song from the 1960s reflects the mood of an entire epoch: Times change, life is dynamic – in a short simple sentence the songwriter/poet Dylan captures enormous inspirational power. He warns us that change is coming. He calls us to awake. Back in the times when this song was first heard, there was a lack of willingness by a large majority of people to accept the democratic changes that were in the air. But change came as it always does. It is not a case of wanting change; it is often a case of accepting change when it comes, recognizing the potential of change and knowing how to use it constructively. It seems to be human nature to want to hold on to familiar things and to delay progress for as long as possible. There may be logical reasons for this and sometimes it is with a sense of self-preservation that we create strategies to avoid change. But as history has demonstrated repeatedly change and upheaval is unstoppable.

Therefore, it is of utmost importance to deal with the new prospects and challenges that change can bring at the earliest possible stage. The train of time continues its journey with us or without us. In the globalized Internet, connected world, we live in we cannot afford not to board this train, miss the connections, or just sit comfortably in the waiting room. With the increasing digitalization of our world the risk of being left behind if we are not proactive when new opportunities arise is accelerating from day to day. For us in the construction industry and the real estate industry this means recognizing that industry 4.0 is hurtling toward us and this will change our business enormously.

Therefore, new training courses for todays and future generations are in demand. Young professionals must be integrated into the digitalization processes, established and experienced professionals need to be updated and through further training strengthened in their role as mediators for change.

This requires embracing new ways of thinking, new pedagogical concepts and developing new teaching programs at our universities to cope with this new world.

We need to reposition ourselves in our industry; we need to be open to a new pluralistic global way of thinking. Education is a key to future success, it is also an export and import business, not only for industrialized countries but also for our partners in developing countries. Our association has set education and the development of new educational programs that will deal with the digitalization of our building industry and retail sector high on its agenda. We want to help initiate new “state of the art” teaching and communication methods, help acquire research funding and support existing programs through our activities. We want to give our youth a perspective through education by making the changes work for all of us.

Ruairí O’Brien Architect RIBA AKS; Lighting designer FILD MSSL LiTG