DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL has appointed a new design team for the Parnell Square Project, but the first phase is not expected to be completed until 2027.

The project includes a new Dublin City Library, as well as redesign works to the Hugh Lane Gallery and a number of Georgian houses.

The team will be led by Aecom Ireland, with Hawkins Browns Architecture appointed as the architect.

Detailed designed works will begin “early” this year and it’s anticipated that this will take around a year to complete.

The project will then go to tender, which will take around seven to eight months.

Construction of Phase 1 is then expected to be completed in 2027.  

The works are part of the Parnell Square project which aims to create a new cultural quarter around the Garden of Remembrance on the northside of the city.

Parnell Square Project Phase 1

The scope of design works for the Phase 1 includes the “detailed design” of the new Dublin City library.

Works will also be carried out on the Hugh Lane Gallery and restoration works are planned for a number of protected Georgian houses from 22-28 Parnell Square North.

Meanwhile, 27 Parnell Square North will be completely renovated.

The existing Amharclann building is being demolished to allow for the new City Library.

These demolition works began in November and are ongoing and a site investigation to inform the design of the new library’s foundations will follow after the demolition.

Funding

The original plan to develop the quarter was first unveiled in 2016.

However, funding problems and rising costs led the Council to scale back the project and focus on delivering the City Library.

A Project Manager was appointed in January 2021 and since then a number of changes were made to the management of the project.

The main aim of these changes was to “de-risk” the project and increase its chances of a successful delivery within the available budget envelope.

The project then received funding approval under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund in March, which ensured that the project can proceed. 

However, “due to commercial and procurement issues”, the contract with the former Design Team could not be extended and had to be terminated in December 2021.

Work then commenced on the procurement of a new Design Team, which was announced today.