Irish World Performing Arts Village Design Contest Results

Irish World Performing Arts Village
Design Contest for Architectural / Design Services

ASSESSORS REPORT STAGE 2

Stage 1
94 entries were received for the competition. The assessors were impressed by the quality of the entries, but considered that many entries, while well realised proposals, did not respond sufficiently to the specifics of the site or the culture and innovation of the World Music Village. Many entries could have functioned well as performance and arts centres on any site and for any purpose.

Stage 2
The assessors selected the following five entries for Stage 2.

Architecture53Seven
Burdon Craig Dunne Henry Architects
Deavy Design Architects
DLB Cordier Architect
Ponlawat Buasri Architect Co. Ltd.

The winning entry was by DLB Cordier Architect. The assessors were impressed by the relaxed informality of this proposal. Maximum advantage was taken of the site and the building relates well to the campus. The central drum was seen as a powerful functional and symbolic element in anchoring and proclaiming the building.

The two performance spaces were well realised and the opportunities for interaction and informal performance was welcomed.

The welcoming entrance, the central drum, the quality of the performance spaces, the opportunities for informal performance, the informality of the architectural expression and solution, the creative use of terraces, and the relation with the site convinced the assessors, that this was the winning entry.

The assessors awarded second place to Burdon Craig Dunne Henry Architects.

The assessors considered this an urbane and sophisticated, with the transparency of the ground floor declaring the purpose of the building solutions, and a good relationship with the campus. The assessors were not convinced by the relationship of the Café and performance space and had reservations about the screening device.

The assessors awarded third place to Deavy Design Architects.

This entry adopted the concept of a monastic settlement and created a tranquil and environmentally friendly building, using rural rather than urban forms. Serious reservations were expressed the basement dance studios. The architectural expression was somewhat underdeveloped and possibly overly dependant on the forms of the main building.

Architecture53Seven

When selecting this proposal for Stage 2 the assessors expressed concerns about the building size and budget. Unfortunately these concerns were not addressed to the satisfaction of the assessors in Stage 2.

Ponlawat Busari

The assessors considered that the implied vision of a flexible corridorless building in Stage One was not realised. There were serious reservations about compliance with the stated budget.

The Jury:
John O’Connor, Vice President, Administration, Corporate Secretary
Brian Hand, Director of Buildings & Estates, University of Limerick
Anthony McGuirk, Campus Planner, Architect
Prof. Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, Director, Irish World Music Centre
Jim Barrett, City Architect, Dublin City Council, RIAI Representative

Technical Advisors non voting Jury:
Arthur Ostrander, Ithaca College, USA
Kevin Bartley, Kerin Contract Management Ltd
William Peacocke, O’Reilly Hyland Tierney
Philip Shipman, Brady Shipman Martin Architects