In 1980, while still in Bolton Street College of Technology, School of Architecture, Kenneth Edmondson won a private competition organised by the entrepreneur, Victor O’Flanagan, founder of the ISAACS Youth Hostel chain. The competition was for a concert hall, with accommodation for visiting arts troupes ( theatre, dance and music ). at No.5 Frenchman’s Lane, Dublin 1. To attend to the resulting commission, O’Flanagan offered Edmondson an office in his building at No.2 Beresford Place with windows overlooking the site at the rear on Frenchman’s Lane. Shortly thereafter, in 1981, Edmondson was offered the commission to design the first Fitzers restaurant on Camden St. The photo below is of the resulting eatery. Why was this project important ? Edmondson worked hand in hand with client, Frank Fitzpatrick, and together they forged a revolutionary product. It doesn’t look significant in 2024 because Dublin is of course now packed with hundreds of funky, cool places to eat. However, at the time this was the only café on Dublin’s Camden Street amongst the shoe-shops and banks. The earthy, honest and gutsy look caused a sensation with paving slabs for a floor, cable spools for tables, blackboard menus and utilitarian coolie pendant-lights and resulted in an extremely popular venue, attracting t.v.celebs. and models. Why is this important ? It laid down the office code and ethos of close collaboration with commercial clients. The strength of these relationships produces an effective and profitable product. How does this manifest ? Edmondson has completed dozens of projects for Fitzers since ( including their extremely successful collaborations with Marco Pierre White ), and continues to work with them to this day in 2024.