SFA42 is an architectural and urban design studio which is the result of two young architectural offices, Stephen Foley Architects Limited and 42 Architects Limited (now CAMPUS), combining their talent, experience and energy.
The work of the practice has been published extensively in high profile magazines and journals including Mark, A10, C3, Frame, Arkitektur, Architects Journal, Architecture Ireland and has been showcased in multiple venues around the world. Our project for a new skateable public space, Hyttgårdsparken, was showcased at the Venice Biennale in 2016 as part of a selection of the best contemporary Scandinavian architecture.
As a practice we are driven by a critical conceptual design process with an ambition to create functional buildings and spaces that are intimately connected to their physical and social context. We think big, yet we value the small scale and put great emphasis on invention, craft and simplicity. We believe in a collaborative dialogue with the client, consultants, contractors and end users to inform our design proposals, and pride ourselves on delivering high quality and imaginative design solutions that surpasses the expectations of our clients. We are interested in developing building ideas that are unique to the particular conditions of the project. The relationship between the spatial experience, the built form, and the context is fundamental to our work. We believe that architectural decisions cannot be made in isolation, and we believe that architecture should be both familiar and unfamiliar. We always strive to create spaces that are enjoyable and practical, but with a sense of wonder and delight that goes beyond the functional.
JOHAN BERGLUND B.Arch MSA/SAR
Johan graduated as the highest achieving Diploma student of his year at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL in 2005. His diploma project won great acclaim both within and outside the Bartlett, winning the UCL Sir Bannister Fletcher Medal for the highest grade in diploma, as well as winning a commendation for the RIBA Silver Medal awards along with the iGuzzini and SOM travel awards. He was chosen for BD class of 2005, showcasing the best architecture graduates across the UK. Johan previous professional experience includes several years as an associate at Mangera Yvars Architects, where he led the design team of several key projects, including the $250 million Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies in Doha, Qatar. He also worked as a senior architect with the team of Martha Schwartz Partners, where he was instrumental in the design of the 4km long Abu Dhabi Corniche project. Johan has along his professional work also established a strong academic career, previously running the successful BSc Unit 8 and March Unit 16 at the Bartlett School of Architecture. He is a visiting tutor and critic at several schools in the UK and Europe, and previously held a position as Associate Lecturer at Chelsea College of Art and Design.
STEPHEN FOLEY M.Arch MRIAI
Stephen graduated as an architect from Dublin Institute of Technology and has a Masters in Advanced Architecture from the School of Architecture Madrid (ETSAM). He has over 10 years experience working on public, cultural and sports buildings having previously worked on the Qatar Faculty for Islamic Studies and the Avondale Park Pavilion amongst other award winning cultural projects in London and the Middle East with Mangera Yvars Architects before forming SFA with offices in Madrid and Dublin.He currently leads a 4th year design unit at the Cork Centre for Architectural Education and has taught at the School of Architecture Madrid (ETSAM), the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), AA Visiting School Barcelona and University College London. In 2017 he was awarded the RIAI Future Award which is given to Emerging Irish Architects.