New Carnegie Hub @ IADT Set to Inspire Growth and Economic Development in Dún Laoghaire
L-R: David Smith, President of IADT, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Minister for State, Frank Curran, Chief Executive, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, Cllr Denis O’Callaghan, Cathaoirleach, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, Andree Dargan, County Architect, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, and David Holohan, Chair of the IADT Governing Body.
IADT, as Ireland’s only institute focusing on art, design, and technology will bring a unique blend of creativity and innovation to the town. The newly established ‘Carnegie Hub @ IADT’ will serve as a base for major initiatives such as the European University for Film & Screen Media and the Creative Futures Academy, making it a vibrant centre for knowledge sharing and creation.
David Smith, President of IADT said: ‘I am delighted that IADT’s presence in Dún Laoghaire is extended through our use of the former Library and the adjoining offices. We are grateful and honoured by the trust placed in us to bring new voices and activities into this historic building and to contribute to the cultural and educational life of Dún Laoghaire town centre.
These spaces are sensitively refurbished by our colleagues in the Council working closely with our Estates and Campus Services team. As Ireland’s Campus for the Creative Industries, the ‘Carnegie Hub @ IADT’ will be a base for a number of our major initiatives. These initiatives include the European University for Film & Screen Media (Film EU), the Creative Futures Academy with our partners UCD & NCAD, and the national project on transforming learning, N-TUTORR. These projects and other Institute activities will see the Carnegie Library return to being a vibrant centre for knowledge sharing and knowledge creation as our staff, students, researchers and collaborators take up residency.
Over the coming months, in collaboration with our partners across the creative industries, the Council, and the wider cultural community, we will develop a programme of events, meetings, and workshops in the newly restored Library to complement our core activities. This programme will allow IADT and Dún Laoghaire to welcome our colleagues from across Ireland and Europe to the Carnegie.’
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has overseen a unique vision including a programme of enabling works, effectively facilitating the marriage of the young and the old built environment to enable the IADT to utilise both the modern ground floor Carnegie offices, and the former Carnegie Library. Central to this, has been the reconfiguration of a glass interconnector structure which will now serve as the entrance to the library, including the provision for disability access while also providing access for IADT in the adjoining offices.
The offices will cater for the work requirements of up to 50 IADT staff while the former library will be used as a learning environment for post-graduate research and study associated with the college’s national and international projects. In addition, dlr will be working closely with IADT to develop a programme of public-facing events and activities. The library will be able to cater for exhibitions and IADT plan to work with local artists/art groups to showcase their artwork.
Councillor Denis O’Callaghan, Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, said: ‘This partnership represents a significant opportunity for both organisations to engage with the town and we believe this will benefit IADT students and increase footfall for local businesses, creating a vibrant hub of creativity and learning.
This venture aligns with our commitment to rejuvenate Dún Laoghaire and enhance community, recreational, and cultural opportunities while preserving our built heritage. The Carnegie Library has served the community of Dún Laoghaire for almost 100-years, and we see this initiative as safeguarding its presence for many years to come.’
Frank Curran, Chief Executive, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said: ‘The re-opening of the Carnegie underpins our commitment toward restoring vibrancy and footfall in the town of Dún Laoghaire. IADT is one of the country’s most significant higher educational institutions and we see this as a great addition to Dún Laoghaire and hope it will be the start of a long-lasting affinity with the College, the Council, and most importantly, the town.
Establishing IADT in the heart of Dún Laoghaire will allow the Institute to expand its reach beyond the campus borders, providing education and training, and supporting local communities through its core research and innovation initiatives.’
The incorporation of IADT at the Carnegie Library addresses key corporate goals outlined in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Corporate Plan 2020-24, focusing on providing quality community, recreational, and cultural opportunities for all residents, while enhancing the vitality of the town and preserving its heritage.
About the Carnegie Library
Designed by O’Callaghan and Webb & opened in 1912, the former library and protected structure is a detached, single-storey, L-shaped Carnegie library. The library building has been vacant since 2013. A potential suitable use identified for the building since its closure was as part of a centre for educational development and innovation.
Prominently located on a street corner with a classically designed canted entrance mounted by a copper cupola the building is accessed by seven curved granite steps which form a striking design feature in themselves. The roof is partially hipped, covered in natural slate with clay ridge tiles and concealed behind a raised parapet with granite coping.
A significant restoration of the roof was undertaken by dlr Property Management in conjunction with dlr Architects and Conservation Section in 2020. Further restoration works at this time included the sensitive restoration of skylights withing the building and roof lantern from the hall of the library.
The building contains many original features; the rainwater goods are cast-iron; the gutters run behind the parapet and the downpipes are square-in-section with decorative tie-brackets. The classical cupola is square-in-section with domed roof surmounted by a ball-finial. Each face has a round-headed opening with keystone set within an open pediment supported on engaged pilasters with a pointed finial to each corner. The building is constructed in a mix of red Victorian brick, yellow Dolphins Barn brick and granite.
Prior to IADT taking up permanent residence in the building, further sensitive enabling, and restoration works, overseen by dlr commenced in June 2022. These works included the restoration of the parquet floor and original toilet facilities as well as repairs to the interior wall paneling and the painting of the library interior. Further works, required by Fire and Disability Access Regulation are now also completed and include the replacement of the existing heating, electrical and lighting infrastructure.