Shortlist for University College Dublin’s Future Campus Revealed

John Hill
19. april 2018
Clockwise from top left: Sheila O’Donnell and John Tuomey © Amelia Stein / Steven Holl © Steven Holl Architects / Liz Diller and Ricardo Scofidio © Abelardo Morell, Benjamin Gilmartin © Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Charles Renfro © Alessio Boni / Ben van Berkel and Caroline Bos © Inga Powilleit / Daniel Libeskind © Stefan Ruiz / John Ronan © Nathanael Filbert

The list of firms was drawn from the 98 teams from 28 countries entering the competition, with the bump to six teams "in recognition of outstanding response from international design community."

The six teams, in alphabetical order of the lead consultant:

  • Diller Scofidio + Renfro (US) with Sasaki, Scott Tallon Walker Architects, GROSS. MAX., Atelier Ten, Arup, IN2 Engineering Design Partnership and Linesight
  • John Ronan Architects (US) with Arup, CLUAA, Michael Boucher Landscape Architecture and Transsolar
  • O’Donnell + Tuomey (Ireland) with Allies and Morrison, Arup, Hargreaves Associates, Superposition, Plattenbau Studio, Phil Jones Associates, Max Fordham and MLM Group
  • Steven Holl Architects (US) with Brightspot Strategy, Arup, HarrisonStevens and Transsolar
  • Studio Libeskind (US) with BDP, !melk, NRB and Dcon
  • UNStudio (Netherlands) with Arup and REDscape Landscape & Urbanism
According to an announcement from Malcom Reading Consultants, the teams have ten weeks to deliver "an urban design vision that foregrounds a highly-visible and welcoming entrance precinct and create a concept design for a charismatic yet integrated new 8,000 sqm building that expresses the University’s creativity: the circa €48m Centre for Creative Design."

Not surprisingly, the university is looking for an architectural icon. In the words of Professor Andrew J. Deeks, President of University College Dublin and competition jury chair:

We are interested in the outstanding. In holding this competition, we are seeking a design that will become an icon for the University – representing our vision to create something extraordinary and brilliant.

The winner is anticipated to be announced in August 2018, upon the decision of the sizable jury:
  • Andrew J. Deeks, University College Dublin President (chair)
  • Malcolm Reading, Architect and Competition Director as the administrative chair
  • Sir David Adjaye, Principal, Adjaye Associates
  • Ann Beha, Principal, Ann Beha Architects
  • Joe Berridge, Partner, Urban Strategies, Inc.
  • Hugh Campbell, Professor of Architecture, Head of Subject and Dean, School of Architecture, Planning & Environmental Policy, UCD
  • Dermot Desmond, Chairman, International Investment & Underwriting
  • Orla Feely, Vice President, Research, Innovation and Impact and Professor of Electronic Engineering, UCD
  • David FitzPatrick, Principal, College of Engineering and Architecture and Dean of Engineering, UCD and Provost, Beijing-Dublin International College
  • Michael Monaghan, Vice President, Campus Development, UCD
  • Sean Mulryan, Founder and CEO, Ballymore Group
  • Paul Thompson, Vice-Chancellor, Royal College of Art, London.

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