Irene leads the specialist housing studio within the Practice, designing homes and spaces for people with particular needs across the UK.

An expert in housing for older people, she has led a number of projects combining extra care, residential and healthcare elements, including the recently completed Buccleuch House in Hackney – a model for intergenerational urban living. The Practice also contributes to research in this field, co-authoring the HAPPI report in 2009 and contributing to the HAPPI 2 report in 2012.