Chatham Street Public Realm Improvement Works

The public realm plays an important role in how Dublin functions and its attractiveness to the people who live or work in the city. As well as being the main space for movement, circulation and other service infrastructure, the public realm is a key part of the city’s identity and distinctive character.

City Architects is one of the many sections of the Council working to develop the public realm including Traffic, Roads Design, Planning, Parks and Roads Maintenance. Team 9 in City Architects together with the Roads Design Division of the Environment & Transportation Department, are the principal designers of many of Dublin City Council’s public realm projects. Projects are guided by the Dublin City Public Realm Strategy ‘Your City Your Space’, which sets out guiding principles to support the delivery of a quality public realm.

A further document, Dublin City Centre Public Realm Masterplan, sets out the programme for phased implementation of the projects.  Consultation is a key element of the design process when designing public realm projects.  Team 9 engages extensively with key stakeholders in the city; including the Public Participatory Network, Office of Public Works, National Transport Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, local businesses and communities in the process of developing their schemes.

Westbury Paving

Team 9 also provides advice and design guidance on a number of strategic infrastructure projects for the Environment & Transportation Department to include bridges, cycle routes and flood defences, and provides guidance and undertakes work for the Area Offices within Dublin City Council.

A number of successful car-free days were held in College Green in the summer and autumn of 2019 to trial its potential as a civic space and amenity for the city. In 2020, we propose to lodge a planning permission to create a civic plaza at this space. It is also proposed to lodge a planning permission for public realm improvement works to Cathal Brugha St. and Findlater Place in the north of the city.

Proposed College Green Plaza.
Image Credit: Philip Kelly

The following is a list of Team 9 Public Realm projects by name and location, description, team, and 2020 target. Abbreviations of design team roles are explained at the end of the list.