London Irish Centre
- Client: London Irish Centre
- Architect: Coffey Architects
- LPA: London Borough of Camden
The London Irish Centre, a well-used community hub in London’s Camden area, is undergoing a major redevelopment to provide a state-of-the-art facility that meets the needs of the local, Irish and wider London communities.
The project, designed by Coffey Architects, aims to make the centre more efficient, accessible, and culturally inclusive while enhancing its role as an arts and cultural hub for Camden. The proposal includes refurbishing and repairing the centre’s buildings, demolishing and replacing old buildings, and adding a new high-quality link building, therapy garden, and cycle parking spaces. The project also seeks to reinforce the centre’s spirit by retaining the Villas along Camden Square, McNamara Hall on Murray Mews, and delivering a new building along Murray Street.
The London Irish Centre is a significant and valuable part of the community, lately serving over 80,000 people every year. Since its founding in 1954, the centre has been a crucial provider of community services and outreach programs, catering to the needs of the Irish community in London. However, the current building’s poor layout and inaccessibility hinder its ability to serve its diverse user groups, which include elderly people, people with disabilities, and children. The redevelopment project aims to address these issues and provide a modern, fit-for-purpose facility that meets the centre’s core functions of Care, Culture, and Community.

The refurbishment of the McNamara Hall is also planned, with alterations to the facade, raising the ceiling height, and the insertion of a mezzanine. The redevelopment is in accordance with national, strategic, and local planning policies and has inclusive design at its core. It will secure the Centre’s ability to deliver its three core functions of Care, Culture, and Community and strengthen its long-term financial viability.
The redevelopment project is in line with national, strategic, and local planning policies and delivers a high-quality, enhanced community facility with inclusive design at its core. The project’s success will secure the centre’s ability to continue delivering its crucial community services and cultural programs for the Irish and wider London communities.

