Journal •
Squashed Living
As a people with a lasting history of migration and dispossession, the idea of home is a deeply
emotional one in Ireland. Although the word may evoke a nostalgic sense of warmth and security,
the lived reality of domestic life is often at odds with our idealised representations.
Does a sense of home pertain solely to a semi-detached dwelling in a suburban estate? Housing in
every shape or form is central to a person’s fundamental sense of well-being. However, this has
been undermined and replaced by its use as a financial asset which positions its primary value as
a commodity. It is widely discussed how the Irish housing system is failing to provide affordable
secure dwellings to hundreds of thousands of people and is marked by deepening inequalities and
housing exclusion (fig. 1).
In line with the ethos of Open House, the Squashed Living project seeks to reveal private spaces that are otherwise invisible in standard broadcast media and documentation. Through gaining access to intimate spaces, this body of work hopes to increase public awareness of how different members of contemporary Irish society house themselves. A diverse tapestry of living situations can be displayed in the same neighbourhood or street. Beginning with young professionals (see fig. 2) who work in corporate roles from a desk in their childhood bedroom, the work extends to reflection on a childhood spent navigating the direct provision system. Despite the proliferation of suburban estates, many new Dublin residents cannot access traditional urban housing, and have planted themselves in back and sometimes front gardens. (see fig. 3).
We began this review of private spaces in early-Summer 2024 by surveying several areas in Dublin city centre. We made contact with residents of multiple locations by various means, seeking permission to view and document their accommodation. We conducted one-to-one interviews, photographed and sketched various living spaces. We commissioned written contributions to the work from three sources; a researcher who explores squatting in Dublin; an Architect and Writer; and a person who experienced direct provision. Each brings a unique perspective based on their research and lived experiences.
The work provides an honest window into the effect of prolonged increases in the cost of housing in Dublin’s ever-changing culture of habitation. We hope to expand our investigative research, to further uncover the untold stories and complexities of contemporary housing in Dublin and explore the evolving ways people are adapting to these challenges. The curators, Laura Ferry and Peter O’Grady are Part I UCD architectural graduates. We are very grateful to all who opened up their lives and homes to us as part of this project.
Contributed by Laura Ferry and Peter O’Grady.
Instagram: @Squashed_Living
Squashed Living will be exhibited during Open House as part of This is Where We Are Now – a new season of architecture events examining the state of our place.
Visit here for more information.
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