Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin

UCD had long required to replace its Veterinary Hospital and teaching facilities in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 and held a limited Architectural Competition for a new building in UCD in 2000. This competition was won by RKD with a design which addressed the centre of the campus and completed the enclosure of this area to the northwest. It also provided a single storey veterinary hospital – a vital requirement for such a facility.

The hospital building is divided into three main areas: the main hospital entrance, the animal holding area and the pathology department. In addition, consultants’ offices and some academic staff are located within the hospital building.

The three storey Academic building is constructed around an internal landscaped courtyard giving daylight and natural ventilation to the centre of the building. The building houses teaching and research laboratories with teaching accommodation. Amenities provided in this accommodation include lecture theatres, classroom and tutorial areas, a library, and staff and student facilities. The UCD veterinary hospital is Ireland’s major veterinary medical facility and can deal with large animals, providing an significant resource for the country’s important bloodstock and agricultural industry.