Central Bank to expand its campus at North Wall Quay

• Central Bank intends to acquire Numbers 4 and 5 Dublin Landings
• Spencer Dock building to be sold
• Eva Rothschild announced as winner of competition to design sculpture on Central Bank campus

The Central Bank has announced it intends to purchase Dublin Landings DL4/5. This acquisition will secure the organisation’s long term accommodation needs.

The Central Bank will take the opportunity to acquire property currently under construction adjacent to our building in North Wall Quay. This long term solution would allow us exit our Spencer Dock building and provide additional expansion capacity. Necessary modifications will be made to ensure the campus fulfils the Central Bank’s future needs and allow for the optimal working environment for staff. The key principles which informed the architecture and design of our landmark North Wall Quay building remain to the forefront. These include:

• Collaboration and sharing by staff
• Addressing environmental challenges
• Cost effective and achieving high energy and sustainability goals
• Reflecting the distinct and civic nature of the organisation.

The Central Bank has also announced the outcome of its tendering process for a public art commission to be installed at its Docklands Campus. The provision of a piece of public art by the Bank fulfils a planning permission requirement of the NWQ building. Dublin born and internationally renowned artist Eva Rothschild was selected by a panel of independent experts to produce a new public sculpture titled “A Double Rainbow.” Rothschild is a leading internationally acclaimed Irish artist, who will represent Ireland at the 58th Venice Biennale in 2019. Rothschild has received international widespread acclaim for her unique and exciting art practice and her public art sculptures including at TATE Britain, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis and Central Park, New York City.

The Central Bank has a long-standing commitment to supporting public art and it is intended that this piece will benefit the local community, enhance the public realm of the Docklands and complement our existing Visitor Centre and participation in events such as Open House and Culture Night. It is also in line with Dublin City Council’s Cultural Strategy.

Chief Operations Officer Gerry Quinn said “As the Central Bank’s mandates and responsibilities grow and become more complex, we are committed to ensuring that our staff continue to have a fulfilling workplace. The acquisition of the adjoining premises will ensure that this continues to be the case. We are also delighted to announce details about the art piece that will enhance the public space in North Wall Quay, as per commitments the Central Bank gave to the Dublin City Council planning authorities .”

Eva Rothschild said: “'The piece will mark a new and ambitious development in my practice, enabling the creation of an outdoor sculpture, on a truly monumental scale, in a permanent location where a strong and lasting engagement with the public is possible. I am creating a sculpture that is open and inviting, allowing a physical affinity with the stated aim for the Bank to develop a more social and transparent outlook,”

Notes

• Spencer Dock is an office block building the Central Bank had rented since 2008. In November 2015 the Central Bank took the opportunity to purchase this building for €104m. The sale of the Spencer Dock building will partly fund the new building acquisition. The remaining costs will be funded from the Central Bank’s own resources.
• Elsewhere in Dublin, the Central Bank’s Currency Centre is located in Sandyford. The Central Bank also has premises under rent in Blackhall Place for the purpose of holding inquiry hearings.
• In order to secure planning compliance the Central Bank agreed to commission an artistic intervention at the northeast corner of the NWQ premises and to achieve the substantive objectives set by Dublin City Council to (i) contribute to the quality of the urban realm, (ii) make a space of interest, (iii) provide visual activity, and (iv) enhance the public amenity
• The procurement process for the public art was first announced in the minutes of the Commission’s May meeting, published on the Central Bank website on 7 July 2017
• Eva Rothschild is a leading internationally acclaimed Irish artist.. The Minister for Culture, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht announced in April 2018 that she will represent Ireland at the 2019 Venice Biennale. The Venice Biennale is one of the most important international stages for the visual arts, attracting over half a million visitors. An example of her work can be seen here.
• The successful proposal was selected by curators Claire Power and Aoife Tunney and a panel made up of representatives from the Central Bank and a number of art specialists: Kathy Prendergast, Artist, Jacquie Moore, Art Advisor (Deputy) OPW, Hugh Mulholland, Senior Curator, The MAC, Belfast, Ruairí Ó Cuív, Public Art Officer, Dublin City Council, Cliodhna Shaffrey, Director, Temple Bar Gallery + Studios, Dublin, Heike Sutter, Art Consultant, ECB.