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Author:
Shih-Fu Peng, Róisín Heneghan. Heneghan Peng Architects
1965, 1962.
Heneghan Peng Architects is a studio specializing in architecture, landscape, and urban design, founded by Shih-Fu Peng (born in Taiwan in 1965) and Róisín Heneghan (born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1962). Róisín Heneghan graduated from University College Dublin, and Shih-Fu Peng from National Taiwan University, before both pursuing postgraduate studies at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. They met during these studies and founded their firm in New York in 1999. Two years later, in 2001, they opened an office in Dublin, which has become their main base of operations.
From its inception, Heneghan Peng has adopted an integrative approach that combines architecture, landscape, and urbanism, working closely with engineers and specialists to address each project holistically. Their work is distinguished by sensitivity to the environment, topography, and cultural context, avoiding iconic gestures and prioritizing conceptual clarity and integration with the landscape. This philosophy has allowed them to develop a versatile practice capable of tackling projects of varying scales and typologies, including master plans, bridges, landscape interventions, and institutional, educational, and cultural buildings.
The firm gained early recognition in international competitions, winning several first prizes that established its reputation. These include the commission for the Grand Egyptian Museum in 2003, the competition for the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre in 2005, and the selection for the pedestrian bridges at the London Olympic Park in 2007. These early achievements demonstrated their ability to undertake complex, large-scale projects with a relatively small team, consolidating their global recognition.
Among their major projects are the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, currently the largest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilization; the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre in Northern Ireland; the Central Park Bridges at the London Olympic Park in 2012; the Library and School of Architecture at the University of Greenwich in London; and the Mittelrheinbruecke in the Rhine Valley, Germany. Other notable commissions include the Palestinian Museum in Birzeit and various institutional headquarters and pedestrian bridges across Europe.
Heneghan Peng has successfully balanced large-scale projects with a detailed and contextual approach, combining technical rigour, environmental sensitivity, and architectural vision. Their trajectory demonstrates that global excellence can emerge from small practices, provided there is conceptual clarity, commitment to the context, and respect for local culture. The firm represents a model of contemporary architectural practice that integrates research, design, and multidisciplinary collaboration, establishing itself as an international reference in architecture that is attentive to landscape and context.
