Minister Lawless officially opens new Digital Media Building

This building has delivered a four-storey facility spanning 7,208m², containing 19 state-of-the-art digital design studios, advanced computer laboratories, classrooms, seminar rooms, and the main campus restaurant. It will increase IADT’s student capacity by 600 students and will
allow significant expansion in growth areas programmes such as design, 3D animation and visual effects, enterprise and technology.

Speaking at the opening, Minister Lawless said:

“The Digital Media Building represents not just a building, but our shared commitment to knowledge, creativity and innovation. It is an investment in current and future generations. This cutting-edge facility will house the Animation and Visual Design Communication labs, further strengthening IADT’s offering in the fields of Art, Design and Technology.

This new building is the second of 11 projects to be developed under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Programme, which is part of a broader vision to strengthen infrastructure in Ireland’s higher education sector.”

Speaking at the official opening, David Smith, President of IADT, said:

“This state-of-the-art Digital Media Building represents a timely investment in IADT, Ireland’s campus for the creative industries, as we deliver on our 2024-28 Strategic Plan, Towards a University for the Creative Industries.

 

The publication of the Government’s Digital Creative Industries Roadmap in 2024 clearly underlines the great opportunities for the development of Ireland’s creative economy, especially in the identified growth areas of commercial design, digital games and content creation, including immersive technologies and virtual media production.

 

These new facilities will allow us to increase places on existing programmes, and develop new programmes, for students who wish to gain the skills and experience they need to be creative leaders
and innovators in these important and growing sectors of Ireland’s creative industries.”

Ciarán McCaffrey, Head of Capital Programmes at the HEA, said: “The new Digital Media Building brings together state-of-the-art spaces, including design studios, classrooms and a new campus restaurant under one roof, and will support both teaching and learning while also providing a place for
students and staff to connect and collaborate.”

Andrew O’Flanagan, Director of the NDFA, said: “The completion of this large facility is great news for the students and staff of IADT and marks another important milestone in the delivery of new educational facilities through the higher education PPP Programme. It reflects a successful
collaboration between the NDFA, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, the Higher Education Authority and IADT, in partnership with PPP Co. Enbarr Education, JJ Rhatigan, Sodexo and their supply chain partners.”

This project is being delivered under Project Ireland 2040 which recognises that investment in education is central to achieving a strong, future-proofed economy, balanced across the regions.