Dominic Stevens during his time as Architect in Residence developed a lecture programme that sought to examine the houses we build and the way in which we live in rural Roscommon. As part of this lecture he looked at trends in rural settlement over generations and how these trends over time have contributed to a deterioration in a sense of community. Methods of building and organising communities such as the “Cloghan” and the “Meitheal” were explored and it was from these discussions that the Building Communities Programme emerged.

In association with Mid-South LEADER, Roscommon County Council and Stevens examined the feasibility of establishing a project where eight to ten people from the local authority housing list would design and build their own houses together as a group based on Walter Segal's methods of self-building.

The feasability study which was subsequently developed examined in detail the basis and practicality of such a project and the blueprint and procedures to carry it out.