Talent Garden Coworking Campus, Dublin City University

MOLA Architecture led the integrated design team for Phase 1 of Dublin City University’s Capital Development Programme (2015–2021), with the extension of the Stokes Building forming the first major building project under this appointment. Located at the heart of the Glasnevin campus, the project comprises a 4,100sqm four-storey academic extension constructed atop a previously prepared basement podium. The extension was delivered within a live campus environment and responded to the University’s requirement for additional teaching capacity to accommodate increased student numbers while maintaining full continuity of operations.

The programme combines two double-stacked tiered auditoria, each accommodating 256 students, together with teaching spaces, academic offices and associated support rooms. At peak capacity the building can accommodate up to 1,100 users. The extension ties comprehensively into the existing Stokes Building on all levels, enabling operational integration, but can also function independently, allowing flexibility. A four-storey glazed atrium forms the principal civic element of the project, addressing the neighbouring Business School quadrangle and establishing a more legible frontage for the complex. Generous glazing and controlled daylight inform the interior, while the structural grid and servicing strategy support adaptable pedagogical uses over time. The project reinforces DCU’s commitment to high-quality STEM environments and contributes to the architectural coherence of the campus.