Pictures: Cork student hub wins major architectural prize

UCC's student hub, a conversion of the college's old anatomy school, emerged victorious at the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland Awards for 2021

The Student Hub, UCC, by O'Donnell Tuomey Architects. Picture: Jed Niezgoda

A Cork building has won the prestigious top prize for reusable design at the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) Awards for 2021.

University College Cork’s new Student Hub, a conversion of the college’s old anatomy school, emerged victorious in the awards' ‘Adaptation and Re-Use’ category, which focuses on sustainable responses by architects to climate change.

That project was carried out by architects O’Donnell + Tuomey who picked up the prize.

Field Stonewall House by Taylor McCarney Architects.

It wasn’t the only Cork student facility to pick up an award at the ceremony, which was celebrating its 32nd year in existence, with Student Civitas, the Lee Point Student Accommodation, also sharing in the top prize in the ‘Living’ category.

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB

Meanwhile, the public choice award, which saw over 10,000 online votes cast by the public at large, went to Field, Stonewall, House in the west of Ireland  — a house design conceived as a series of parallel field stone walls by winners Taylor McCarney Architects.

The varied nature of the 17 projects included on the roll of honour for this year’s awards demonstrates “the diversity of great work being carried out by Irish architects across the country and further afield,” Ciaran O’Connor, president of the RIAI, said.

He said that, notwithstanding the impact of Covid-19 on construction, almost 150 entries had been received for the awards for work completed in 2020, with a quality standard which “was exceptional”.

The Student Hub, UCC, by O'Donnell Tuomey Architects. Picture: Jed Niezgoda

“Architects are invaluable in how they enrich the communities we live in - our daily lives, our homes, schools and colleges, and the public spaces we enjoy,” Mr O’Connor said.

Collaboration is at the heart of each of these projects so, we must also congratulate the clients and our colleagues on the design teams whose contribution is key in getting these results.

Chair of the nine-strong jury Micheal de Siun, of Desiun Architecture, said the quality of applicant had given the jury “a huge challenge as we assembled our shortlist”.

He said that a “strong awareness of issues of sustainability” had been evident across all entries, suggesting recognition of “the importance of our existing building stock”.

Lee Point. Picture: Philip Lauterbach

The awards featured one double winner, with the refurbished Garda Station, designed by Rhatigan Architects, in Donegal Town winning in both the ‘Culture Public’ and ‘Sustainability’ categories.

Meanwhile, the work of Irish architects overseas was honoured with the Learning Laboratory at Thapar University in Punjab, India, as designed by McCullough Mulvin Architects, emerging top of the pile in the ‘International’ category.