UCD Michael Tierney Building

The Michael Tierney Building at University College Dublin has been the Campus’s primary Administration building since its completion in 1972. The project brief involved an 805m2 refurbishment on a significant part of the first floor thereby; increasing occupancy, providing specific connectivity and adjacencies between departments whilst creating a more contemporary office work environment.

Our design approach centred around reorganising various departments in a more fluid, open and transparent way. A reimagining of the office template was involved. Offices are reduced in depth and the circulation route is lined with continuous, double-glazed, oak framed glass partitions. This affords the circulation routes with more natural daylight and visual connections to the mature trees and campus’s north pond externally. Views of nature enable biophilia to thrive, ensuring a reduction in stress and improvement in productivity in the workplace. In line with biophilic design and contrary to the previous layout it was important to carve a break-out space out along the north-west façade beside the Bursars office, providing views of the pond, nature and campus activity.

The existing façade glazing is replaced by a curtain wall system recently used on the connected neighbouring Arts building. Due to their shared architectural expression, it was important to create continuity in the facades. Concrete waffle slabs are exposed internally and rejuvenated to further express the structure and original expression of the building. Informal meeting pods fused with oak and a splash of colour provide architectural interest in the workplace breaking up the transition between open plan -at the atrium- and the circulation space.  Colours introduced into various departmental spaces are inline with the four main colours in the UCD logo.

Contracting Authority: University College Dublin

Complete: 2019