University College Dublin (UCD) and competition organiser Malcolm Reading Consultants (MRC) published a digital gallery of the six shortlisted teams’ design proposals in the international design competition.
The teams have put forward their visions for a masterplan for the entrance precinct and concept designs for a new circa €48m (£42m) Centre for Creative Design.
The Future Campus project is intended to create a stronger physical presence and identity for the university within Dublin, and raise the profile of UCD nationally and internationally.
The six teams (lead consultants listed in alphabetical order) were selected in April.
- Diller Scofidio and Renfro (US)
- John Ronan Architects (US)
- O’Donnell and Tuomey (Ireland)
- Steven Holl Architects (US)
- Studio Libeskind (US)
- UNStudio (Netherlands)
UCD president and competition jury chair Professor Andrew Deeks said: “This is an exciting, energising moment for University College Dublin. We now have six possible futures for our campus centre-stage, and all from acclaimed international teams, who are creating the most interesting and iconic architecture today.
“We are seeking comments on the design proposals from the UCD community and their feedback will be of interest to the jury, who face the absorbing task of analysing the schemes and interviewing the teams. This is such an important project: the jury’s choice will shape the identity of the University over the coming decades and allow UCD to realise the potential of its exceptional campus.”
Images below, clockwise from top left: Diller Scofidio and Renfro / Studio Libeskind / O'Donnell and Tuomey / UNStudio / John Ronan Architects / Steven Holl Architects
Professor Hugh Campbell, professor of architecture at UCD and member of the competition jury, said: “The brief for UCD’s Future Campus design competition asked a great deal of the shortlisted teams. The competition focuses on enhancing and enlivening our extensive green campus and on embodying UCD’s ethos of innovation and creativity in the new Centre for Creative Design.
“We are seeking an integrated design proposal that improves the experience of our campus for its users and that better connects us to our surroundings, orientating us outwards to the world and inviting our communities to engage with us.”
Competition director Malcolm Reading said: “In commissioning an international competition, UCD has demonstrated its commitment to design excellence and confirmed its receptiveness to talent, ingenuity and imagination – as shown in the designs revealed today.
“As universities increasingly compete across national boundaries to attract gifted students and researchers, the range of facilities and the quality of experience they provide become ever-more important. Through this competition, UCD has expressed an ambitious vision for the future and moved closer to achieving it.”
The first stage of the competition, which sought expressions of interest detailing each competitor’s proposed team and experience, attracted 98 teams from 28 countries.
Each finalist team will receive an honorarium of €40,000 for their competition work and international teams were required to team up with a local executive team for the second stage.
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