DIP. ARCH, DIP. PROJ. MAN., MRIAI
NEIL SPENT SIX YEARS OF WORKING WITH HIS FATHER, PAUL BURKE-KENNEDY, IN HIS FIRM, BURKE-KENNEDY DOYLE ARCHITECTS, ONE OF IRELAND'S LEADING ARCHITECTURAL FIRMS. AT BKD, NEIL WAS INVOLVED IN MANY MAJOR PROJECTS INCLUDING THE EARLSFORT CENTRE, THE RECONSTRUCTION OF LOWER LEESON STREET, THE CONRAD HILTON HOTEL (1989) AND THE SQUARE IN TALLAGHT, THE LARGEST SHOPPING CENTRE IN EUROPE AT THE TIME (1990). IN 1993 NBK ARCHITECTS WAS ESTABILISHED, HIS MOTIVATION TO SET UP HIS OWN PRACTICE WAS BASED UPON NEILS DESIRE TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF ARCHITECTURE, CONSIDERING LANDSCAPING, INTERIORS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS AT THE EARLY STAGES OF HIS DESIGN PROCESS. HE BELIEVES THAT SUCCESSFUL ARCHITECTURE DOES NOT END WITH THE BUILDING ENVELOPE, BUT IT IS THE ATTENTION TO DETAILING, MANNER OF DELIVERY AND CONTEXT THAT MERITS PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION, AND ULTIMATELY PUBLIC ENJOYMENT. THIS COMMITMENT TO THE 'ARCHITECTURE' HAS MEANT THAT THE FOCUS HAS NEVER BEEN SOLELY ON THE LARGER PROJECTS, THE OFFICE HAS ALWAYS ENJOYED THE SMALLER NICHE DESIGNS WILL ALWAYS BE KEPT AS AN ASPECT OF THE PORTFOLIO.