Dublin – The rise of a designer city

I am an MA student in the History of Design at the Royal College of Art/V&A, London. After completing my first year I am now about to embark on a dissertation which is between 25,000-30,000 words. I am interested in looking at how Dublin has been, and is being transformed through design (architecture, urban development, designer bars, shops etc) to become what some might call a designer city. The study would look at how this is part of a wider reinvention of an urban identity seeking to re-establish itself as European, multicultural. It will also look at how these changes have effected how Dubliners view themselves. Any suggestions on people to talk to, books/reports to read would be greatly appreciated.