1969 – Restaurant Building, University College Dublin, Co. Dublin

The UCD restaurant building was awarded the RIAI Gold Medal for 1968-70, and was designed by Robin Walker of what was then Michael Scott & Partners. The citation read:”This elegant building is part of the UCD campus in Belfield. It is sited in an artificial hollow which provides an opportunity to create a three tier section, with the main entrance and common spaces at the middle level. The upper floor is the main restaurant, serving full meals, and can be adapted with sliding screens for social functions, while another restaurant on the ground floor provides smaller meals. A fine proportion has been achieved in the rigorous expression of the structural elements, contrasting with the horizontal floors which appear to float on air.”

The RIAI Gold Medal is always awarded some years after the building is completed to allow potential winners to show that they do stand the test of time. Like the other winner on the UCD campus – the Administration Building – the award was well deserved in this case.