46 CONTEXT 178 : DECEMBER 2023 New member profile Alina Holyst I came to know the IHBC a couple of years ago through my work as an architect. It was my goal to become an IHBC full member, but I was nervous about the application process. An offering hand came in the form of the IHBC Northern Ireland branch team, including the well-known conservationist Des Cairns, and the fabulous heritage practitioner Delia Graham, who became my mentor. I have had the privilege of working with both ever since. Participating in several IHBC workshops and events allowed me to expand my conservation circle considerably. Most recently the IHBC Northern Ireland branch chair, Joanne Curran, invited me to join the committee. I am a chartered architect with over 16 years of experience, an urban planner and a conservation professional. My specialism is the creative re-use of old buildings. In my capacity as an IHBC member I would like to champion sustainable design and construction practices, including retrofit – the upgrading of buildings to increase their longevity and energy efficiency. I am accomplished in working with multiple international stakeholders in the historic environment. I believe that I could help the IHBC with geographical outreach, and bring an international perspective, coming from a different background. I am Polish-born with German ancestry and a passion for industrial heritage. I am very proud that I was born in Katowice, the capital of the highly industrialised Silesian region. From earliest days, I experienced the industrial heritage of my home, Kattowitz-Nikischschacht, a historic coal miners’ district that has been nominated as a Unesco world heritage site. That has influenced my career choices significantly. After graduating from the Silesian University of Technology, I relocated and have found my new home in Northern Ireland. Since then I have had the privilege of living in a 19th-century Irish castle, a 17th-century manor house and a traditional Irish farmhouse. While I was a part-time lecturer at the Queen’s University Belfast school of planning, architecture and civil engineering, I enjoyed delivering lectures on heritage industrial sites and the regeneration of post-industrial areas. As a board member of PLACE, a builtenvironment centre in Belfast, I guided multi-disciplinary teams, and contributed, reviewed and advised on programmes of heritage, cultural and economic regeneration. I enjoy working on challenging schemes, and have extensive experience in successful collaboration within and across government departments, local councils, private businesses, professional bodies and community groups. My ability to assist clients with particularly demanding conservation projects was recognised by the CIOB (Chartered Institute of Building) when I was recently appointed to contribute to a series showcasing conservation architecture and multi-disciplinary collaborations in heritage schemes. I am an IHBC accredited practitioner and listed on the RIBA Conservation Register. I have been nominated as a committee member of SPAB Ireland. When it comes to downtime, I enjoy spending time with my husband, wee son and Rottweiler Otto (named after the visionary German architect and structural engineer Frei Otto) in the picturesque village of Rostrevor, where I currently live and work. Alina Holyst is a new full member of the IHBC.
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