This month, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council welcomed The Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT) to the historical Carnegie Library in Dún Laoghaire. This collaboration aims to revitalise the Old Town Quarter and create an inspiring workspace, benefiting the local community and contributing to the local economy.

IADT, as Ireland’s only institute focusing on art, design, and technology will bring a unique blend of creativity and innovation to the town. The newly established ‘Carnegie Hub @ IADT’ will serve as a base for major initiatives such as the European University for Film & Screen Media and the Creative Futures Academy, making it a vibrant centre for knowledge sharing and creation.

This venture aligns with our commitment to rejuvenate Dún Laoghaire and enhance community, recreational, and cultural opportunities while preserving our built heritage. The Carnegie Library has served the community of Dún Laoghaire for almost 100-years, and we see this initiative as safeguarding its presence for many years to come.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has overseen a unique vision including a programme of enabling works, effectively facilitating the marriage of the young and the old built environment to enable the IADT to utilise both the modern ground floor Carnegie offices, and the former Carnegie Library. Central to this, has been the reconfiguration of a glass interconnector structure which will now serve as the entrance to the library, including the provision for disability access while also providing access for IADT in the adjoining offices.

The offices will cater for the work requirements of up to 50 IADT staff while the former library will be used as a learning environment for post-graduate research and study associated with the college’s national and international projects.  In addition, dlr will be working closely with IADT to develop a programme of public-facing events and activities.  The library will be able to cater for exhibitions and IADT plan to work with local artists/art groups to showcase their artwork.​

Establishing IADT in the heart of Dún Laoghaire will allow the Institute to expand its reach beyond the campus borders, providing education and training, and supporting local communities through its core research and innovation initiatives.

The incorporation of IADT at the Carnegie Library addresses key corporate goals outlined in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Corporate Plan 2020-24, focusing on providing quality community, recreational, and cultural opportunities for all residents, while enhancing the vitality of the town and preserving its heritage.

David Smith, President of IADT said:

I am delighted that IADT’s presence in Dún Laoghaire is extended through our use of the former Library and the adjoining offices. We are grateful and honoured by the trust placed in us to bring new voices and activities into this historic building and to contribute to the cultural and educational life of Dún Laoghaire town centre.  

These spaces are sensitively refurbished by our colleagues in the Council working closely with our Estates and Campus Services team. As Ireland’s Campus for the Creative Industries, the ‘Carnegie Hub @ IADT’ will be a base for a number of our major initiatives. These initiatives include the European University for Film & Screen Media (Film EU), the Creative Futures Academy with our partners UCD & NCAD, and the national project on transforming learning, N-TUTORR. These projects and other Institute activities will see the Carnegie Library return to being a vibrant centre for knowledge sharing and knowledge creation as our staff, students, researchers and collaborators take up residency. 

Over the coming months, in collaboration with our partners across the creative industries, the Council, and the wider cultural community, we will develop a programme of events, meetings, and workshops in the newly restored Library to complement our core activities. This programme will allow IADT and Dún Laoghaire to welcome our colleagues from across Ireland and Europe to the Carnegie. 

For further information please contact  iadt@creativefutures.ie