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Declan O'Donnell
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Declan O’Donnell is an Architect, Broadcaster, Author and Musician.
He is a design communicator and opinion leader, regularly appearing on live television on Virgin Media One’s Ireland AM, and RTÉ’s The Today Show. He is also on our airwaves, featuring on Newstalk, RTÉ 2FM, Today FM, and RTÉ Radio 1.
Declan is also an author, and in his no.1 bestselling book Rooms, he shows us how we can release our inner designer to create a home that works for the way we live. From open plan living, to cleverly-designed kitchens, home offices, extensions, attic conversions and clever storage ideas, Rooms takes us through each room in the house looking at common problems and the fundamental decisions in any project, big or small, helping us to channel our inner creativity to create the living space we have always wanted and make changes to our home - to live better.
Declan frequently contributed to the Irish Times looking at different architects and the incredible and varied work they do to transform different types of homes across the country. He has also featured in all national publications in both lifestyle and property sections. These include The Sunday Times, The Sunday Independent and the Irish Independent. As well as this, he has also featured regularly in various editorial publications in both Ireland and the UK, such as House & Home, House Beautiful, Living Etc, Home Living & Interiors, Image Magazine, The Gloss, Decor and more, as well as being featured in numerous online publications.
Declan also brought his architectural expertise to the hugely successful Home of the Year, on RTÉ. The show featured homeowners around Ireland who did something extraordinary to the place they call home.
Declan studied at Queens University Belfast, and completed his postgraduate studies at the revered Mackintosh School of Architecture in Glasgow. Upon graduation, he was head hunted by one of the worlds most acclaimed architectural practices, Foster + Partners in London. During his time there, he took a lead role in the design of many significant projects at the very cutting edge of contemporary architecture across London and the UK, Europe, the US and the Far East. He quickly established himself as a strong conceptual designer and undertook a specific role within the company in overseeing the design stages of numerous high-profile projects across the practice profile, such as the Hydro Arena in Glasgow, and 610 Lexington Avenue in New York.
In 2009, he returned to Dublin to setup ODKM Architects…in a shop window…in the middle of the worst recession for a generation. The eternal optimist, he decided this was good timing, and today, he has helped build ODKM into a young, award winning architectural practice with accolades and publications both in Ireland and abroad.
Declan’s design philosophy is a simple, no nonsense approach to making us happier in the spaces we live in. He believes that design is for everyone, that it can improve the quality of our lives, and that achieving this is not as hard as we all think. In essence, he believes that every person is a designer. Though we might not be aware of it, we are all designing everyday by deciding what to wear, how to deal with a work issue, where to go for dinner, or what the best route home is. Evaluating the options, the conditions and reacting accordingly in the given context; this is what designers do, and we all do it a thousand times a day.
Declan has worked with numerous marketing campaigns, acting as brand ambassador for Ireland’s Premier Interiors Destination The Beacon South Quarter, with Permanent TSB to spearhead their first time buyers campaign and Aviva on their 'Smart Homes' campaign. He has also contributed to AIB First Time Buyer Events as their Architect Expert as well as their AIB Livin Dublin Events.
A bit of a renaissance man, Declan is also a classically trained flautist. He played and toured regularly with the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland and almost had a career in professional music. He still plays today, though it’s more Jethro Tull than Mozart as he fumbles his way from classical musician to Jazz enthusiast. The love of music endures though, as he is a resident DJ in the alternative Dublin scene, playing an eclectic mix of old school disco, house and electronic music to make people dance. Before moving to Dublin, he was in a band and almost signed to a record label having played the festival circuit in the UK. Alas, it was not meant to be .but music has been with him since a very young age and still plays a big part in his life, hobbies and enjoyment outside of architecture.
For more information please contact: info@nkmanagement.ie or 35319061011