In First Quarter, architect John Tuomey navigates the places and memories of his life over twenty-five years. Since their early engagement with the urban regeneration of Dublin's Temple Bar, including the Irish Film Institute and National Photography Centre, O'Donnell + Tuomey have designed a series of award-winning public buildings, from the Glucksman Gallery Cork and the Lyric Theatre Belfast to the Victoria & Albert East Museum in London. This delicate, liminal memoir tells the story of Tuomey's formative experience and traces the pathways that led to his burgeoning career as an architect. He reflects on the cultural influences that played out during his time in Dublin in the 1980s, paying particular attention to the social spaces of the city. His transient years took him from Dublin to London and to work farther afield in Nairobi and Milan, moulding the internationalism of his outlook. Meeting his future wife and partner, Sheila O'Donnell – a fellow student of architecture in UCD – and his pivotal employment by James Stirling in 1976, are experiences that form the backbone of his personal and professional life. Tuomey's expertise in his field is unparalleled, with meticulous detail given to the finer aspects of architecture and design. His thoughts on the changing shape of Dublin are essential reading for anyone concerned with the future of the living city.
