Cork’s most inspiring buildings, businesses and public spaces are in the spotlight as the finalists for the 2026 Cork Better Building Awards are announced. From heritage conservation and innovative commercial spaces to vibrant public areas and climate-resilient developments, this year’s finalists showcase the people and projects helping to shape a better Cork.
Organised by Cork Business Association (CBA), with the support of Cork City Council, the awards celebrate those who invest in maintaining, enhancing and reimagining Cork’s built environment. Now an established highlight of the city’s calendar, the awards recognise the contribution that building owners, occupants, businesses and communities make to Cork’s unique character and continued regeneration.
A key addition to the 2026 awards is the introduction of the Placemaking Award, a new category that has proven extremely popular. Recognising projects that enhance public spaces and create more attractive, accessible and engaging places for people to enjoy, the category reflects the growing importance of placemaking in the future of Cork city and its surrounding areas.
The breadth of this year’s finalists demonstrates the many ways in which Cork’s built environment is being enhanced, from retailers, cafés and pubs that bring life to our streets, to projects focused on heritage, sustainability, climate resilience and community spaces.
The finalists were selected across nine categories, with an overall Judges’ Choice Award recognising the overall winner of the awards.
An independent panel of experts will oversee the judging process, bringing a wealth of experience across planning, heritage, culture and business. The panel comprises Clara O’Neill, Director, Total Planning Solutions; Mary McCarthy, Director, Crawford Art Gallery; Gwen Jordan (Head Judge), Senior Executive Planner, Cork City Council; Bernard Dwyer, Planning School, UCC, Ashleigh Murray, Conservation Officer, Cork City Council; and Lawrence Owens, Cork Business Association.
Clara O’Neill, Director of Total Planning Solutions and President of Cork Business Association, said:
“The Better Building Awards are a wonderful opportunity to recognise the people and businesses who take pride in Cork and invest in its future. Our buildings and public spaces are fundamental to the city’s identity, and how we maintain, restore and reimagine them has a significant impact on the vitality and attractiveness of our streets.
“The popularity of our new Placemaking Award is particularly encouraging. Creating great places is about more than individual buildings; it is about how people experience and connect with the city around them.”
Head Judge Gwen Jordan added:
“This year’s finalists demonstrate the diversity, character and ambition of Cork’s built environment. From the conservation of historic buildings to innovative approaches to sustainability and the creation of welcoming public spaces, the standard of entries highlights the commitment being made to the future of our city.”
Finalists for the 2026 Cork Better Building Awards
Best Tourism & Arts
- Triskel Arts Centre
- Shandon Art Studio
- Rebel City Distillery
Retail
- Sugar Plum Sweetery, Oliver Plunkett Street
- Findings, Blarney
- Broderick’s Chemist, Barrack Street
- TW Murray & Co, Patrick Street
Café / Restaurant
- Sprout & Co, Winthrop Street
- Sano Pizza, Parnell Place
- Goldie, Oliver Plunkett Street
Pub Front
- The Merchant, South Mall
- Impala, Liberty Street
- Arthur Maynes, Pembroke Street
Placemaking Award
- Marina Promenade & Walkway
- St Patrick Street Rejuvenation
- Glanmire Park and Greenway
Commercial Premises
- Beauty Time, Cornmarket Street
- Plug’d Records, Cornmarket Street
- The Hive, Monahan Road
Climate Resilience
- St Finbarr’s GAA
- Na Piarsaigh GAA
- Penrose Dock
City Living
- Millfield Cottages, Blackpool
- Annmount, Wellington Road
- 110 St. Patrick’s Street
Heritage, Conservation & Sustainability
- Annmount, Wellington Road
- 19 Myrtle Hill Terrace, Tivoli
- Kilbrin House, Wellington Road
- St Anne’s Church, Shandon
The winners will be announced at the 2026 Cork Better Building Awards ceremony on 6 November at the Metropole Hotel, Cork.
Cork Business Association congratulates all finalists and thanks everyone who entered or nominated a building or project. Their commitment to improving Cork’s built environment plays an important role in preserving the city’s character, supporting its business community and creating a more vibrant and welcoming city for generations to come.