Two leading voices from Denmark have been announced as the first speakers for the Active Places, Active People National Conference, taking place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Thursday, 12 November 2026.
The conference will bring together leaders from sport, local government, architecture, planning and community development to examine how Ireland can create better places for people to be active, and how the design and management of facilities and public spaces can influence participation.
As demand for sporting infrastructure grows, the event will look beyond simply building more facilities to consider how existing spaces can be transformed, how investment can deliver greater community benefit, and how future planning can better reflect the needs of different groups.
Ola Mattsson, a development consultant at the Danish Foundation for Culture and Sport Facilities (Lokale og Anlægsfonden), will share insights from more than 12 years working with municipalities, sports organisations, architects and communities on the development and renewal of sports and leisure facilities.
He focuses on transforming existing infrastructure to meet changing patterns of sport, leisure, and community life. Mattsson believes strong architectural design and a clear understanding of community needs can create lasting value, and that better facilities don’t always require adding more square metres.
This perspective is particularly relevant for Ireland, where the pressure to increase sporting capacity sits alongside the opportunity to use existing facilities more effectively.
Rebecca Halstead, a RIBA Chartered Architect and founder of Copenhagen-based Echo Architects, will bring a complementary perspective on how the built environment can better support participation among girls and women.
Halstead is the Northern Europe Representative for the RIBA Europe Chapter and is co-authoring Cities for Her, a forthcoming RIBA publication that examines how public spaces can better respond to the experiences and needs of girls and young women.
Her research combines mapping, observation, and direct community engagement to understand who uses public spaces, who does not, and how design can create more equitable, welcoming environments.
Her contribution will raise important questions for Ireland about how parks, recreation spaces and sporting facilities can be planned to ensure that opportunities for physical activity are genuinely accessible to everyone.
The two speakers reflect the conference’s broader ambition to connect sporting participation with decisions about architecture, urban planning, community infrastructure and public investment.
As recognition grows that the physical environment plays a significant role in participation levels, the event will provide a platform for international ideas and practical Irish discussion on how to build more active communities.
Active Places, Active People National Conference takes place in the Havelock Suite at the Aviva Stadium on Thursday, 12 November, running from 9.30am to 4pm. We will profile further speakers and programme details ahead of the event.
Book Your Place at Active Places, Active People
The Active Places, Active People National Conference takes place on Thursday, 12 November 2026, from 9.30 am to 4 pm in the Havelock Suite at the Aviva Stadium, hosted by Dublin City Council in collaboration with the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS).
The full-day programme includes international and Irish speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities, lunch and a tour of the Aviva Stadium.
Registration is now open, with places limited.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR PLACE AT THE CONFERENCE
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Image Credit: Dublin City Council
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