OPW films spotlight public architecture at Dublin film festival
Commissioned works explore design, infrastructure and community impact under National Development Plan
28 January 2026 | 📧 editor@breakingground.news
Two short films commissioned by the Office of Public Works are set to premiere at the 2026 Dublin International Film Festival, placing publicly funded architecture and infrastructure at the centre of a major cultural programme.
The films, Circle and Threshold, directed by Patrick Voigt of 9 Sekunden, will screen as part of the festival’s official programme, which runs from 19 February to 1 March. Both works examine the role of design in delivering large-scale public infrastructure and the impact of those projects on local communities.
According to the OPW, the films are intended to demonstrate how architecture and infrastructure investment can deliver “value for many”, aligning with Ireland’s National Policy on Architecture and the objectives of the National Development Plan.
Circle focuses on the completed Arklow Wastewater Treatment Plant, a project delivered after more than three decades of planning and delays. The film documents the significance of the facility for the town, as well as the contribution of Clancy Moore Architects, whose work is presented through the perspectives of residents and emerging communities. The film was co-funded by the OPW and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Threshold examines the large-scale redevelopment of a 20-hectare port, led by Architectural Services within the OPW. Through local voices and community narratives, the film explores infrastructure delivery as a matter of public interest, highlighting the role of design in shaping long-term social and economic outcomes. The project was funded through the Percent for Art scheme.
State Architect and OPW Principal Architect Conor Sreenan said the partnership with the Dublin International Film Festival would bring architecture policy to a wider audience. He said the films place lived experience at the centre of infrastructure delivery and aim to broaden public understanding of the role of design in national investment programmes.
Both films will be screened under the theme Value for Many, followed by a public discussion on 20 February at the Lighthouse Cinema in Dublin. The post-screening Q&A will feature director Patrick Voigt, Olwyn James of Uisce Éireann and Maureen Dalton of Revenue, and will be hosted in partnership with the Irish Architecture Foundation, chaired by its director Emmett Scanlon.
Ireland’s National Policy on Architecture, Places for People, was approved by Government in 2022 and is overseen by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage through the National Built Heritage Service.
Tickets for the Dublin International Film Festival are available via the festival’s website: https://diff.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873681934
