OVERVIEW

UCD Health Sciences

The University College Dublin Health Sciences Complex houses various disciplines within the College of Life Sciences which incorporates the former Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Diagnostic Imaging and Physiotherapy. The design of the laboratories was a result of an intensive collaborative process with the end users. Key staff members in the various disciplines attended a series of workshops with the design team to ensure a comprehensive and integrated approach to the design. The range of facilities provided includes simulated hospital wards; clinical skills laboratories; a radiology suite; anatomy plastination & dissection facilities; an electrotherapy suite; a gym; a movement analysis laboratory; and numerous general purpose biology laboratories. The arrangement and layout of the facilities was designed to promote interaction between different disciplines while incorporating the necessary security and privacy requirements of specific processes. The complex was designed by MÓLA with the intention of maximising space and light, and to promote a fresh learning atmosphere condusive to furthering the development of the multi-disciplinary teams necessary in medicine today. MÓLA was also responsible for the integration and pedestrianisation of the surrounding area. Phase 1 houses the School of Nursing & Midwifery, the School of Physiotherapy and the School of Diagnostic Imaging. Throughout the building process the intention was for the phase one structure to be self-sufficient prior to phase 2 because of occupancy uncertainties. Phase 2 includes the School of Medicine, Faculty Offices and the Health Sciences Library. This phase is now fully integrated with Phase 1 with shared use of all the facilities including lecture theatres, classrooms, simulated teaching rooms, library and cafe between all schools. Phase 3 of the complex provides facilities for the Medical Bureau of Road Safety and includes drug and alcohol testing facilities along with training facilities for members of the Garda Síochána. Phase 3 is an extension of the Phase 1 wing of the complex but is a seperate entity to the 3rd level facility it adjoins, funded directly via the Department of Transport.

DETAILS

The Directors, Staff and Consultants of MÓLA Architecture worked on this project while in Murray Ó Laoire Architects