Introduction

Building Change was a 3-year project funded by the Higher Education Authority in Ireland through the Human Capital Initiative. Its aims were to support the six schools of architecture in Ireland to develop skills, knowledge and teaching in response to climate change, housing need and the Sustainable Development Goals. The project ran from 2022 to 2025 and has seen a significant involvement by staff and students in UCD Architecture to develop the curriculum, upskill, plan and continue a school-wide shift in how and what we teach and learn. 

Curriculum Change

This year saw the first structural changes to the undergraduate curriculum in First and Second Year. This process will continue in the Third Year in 2025/26. Changes include: two new modules focused on Regenerative Practice in First and Third Year; four revised Technology modules; two revised Environmental Design modules; two revised Digital Drawing modules

Two revised Structures modules, with a new blended Technology and Structures module; one newly credited module – Drawing + Making. All studio modules now have a targeted focus on climate. In 2025/26, we look forward to piloting the new RIAI Education Taskforce Framework. 

Events - lectures, workshops, symposia and more.

The input from external friends to the project and school over the three years of Building Change was invaluable, and we look forward to building on these relationships and connections. Critical friends to UCD Architecture as part of Building Change over the last three years are: Greg Keefe QUB, Duncan Baker Brown University of Brighton, Kiel Moe NorthEastern University, Catalina Mejia Moreno Central Saint Martins, Laura Harty ESALA, University of Edinburgh, Anya Sirota University of Michigan, Liz Brogden University of Queensland, Rasmus Groenbaek Hansen Aarhus University, Denmark.

Building 71

Continuing work begun in 2023/34, the 2nd year Design Studio has been developing a novel approach to adaptive reuse, in which the studio is embedded in the space of study. In this case, Building 71, the former bar on Belfield Campus, was occupied as a means to adapt existing buildings for reuse through deep spatial study and understanding. Workshops facilitated by Rubble, Anya Sirota, Damien Hannigan and others introduced agile, hands-on, and data-supported approaches to design. The work of the students was exhibited in Building 71, demonstrating imaginative strategies to adapt and expand the building to accommodate student residences and a programme for communal use.

Student Curators

A vital and core part of Building Change is the input and involvement of students. Each year a dedicated student curators were mentored and supported to develop student-led initiatives as part of Building Change. These include:

• Installation and documentation of the Constructive Interference exhibition as part of the Building EXPO in the RDS;
• Social Construct Podcast on digital skills in architectural education;
• rich views zine - issue II;
• Student Curator Social Media platform @ssc.ucd;
• Student-led Debate on the motion: Artificial Intelligence is the Future of Climate Resilient Design; Student Competition: Making the Visible Invisible;
• End of year exhibition.

Students also assisted with the many events, and their contribution to the school-wide cultural shift for climate resilient design has had a hugely positive impact throughout the school. 

In total, over the last three academic years, 43 Student Curators contributed to the Building Change project.

A huge thank you to:

2024/25 Katherine Kelly, Ruan McCabe, Ilinca Dominte, Luke Andrade, Eva Marmelstein, Louise Kelly, Catriona Darcy, Jason Doherty, Oleksandra Deineha, Lorna Sheehan, Anna Fitzpatrick, Jamie Topping, Sofia Garanovschi. 2022-24 Aoife Casey, Izzy Hamilton, Stephen Landy, Emer Perkins, Paul Stewart, Anna Skelton, Bushra Mansoor, Cormac Adams, Ella Doherty, Eoin O’ Sullivan, Leah Holtz, Louise Cailliard, Manuel Brenal Flores, Mara Anton, Miles Rothwell, Orla Fahey, Phoebe Horgan, Rory Kinane, Somtochukwu Amadi-Obi, Uliana Lysych, Yusuf Alraqi, Danny Zhao, Keeva Mallin, Lara Gallagher, Liam Egan, Dylan Phelan, Ben Sheeran-Purcell, Ioana-Sofia Serb, Brian O'Curnain, Ethan O’ Brien, Katie Dunne

None of the above would have been possible without the collaboration, commitment and energy of all of the staff and students in Richview.

The Building Change team at UCD Architecture are:

• Dr Oliver Kinnane
• Prof Hugh Campbell
• Alice Clancy
• Orla Murphy

For further information about Building Change see (opens in a new window)https://buildingchange.ie/