How well will this university look, as a university in, say, fifty years?

So wrote Lance Wright in the Architects’ Journal in April 1973. So….how do you think the university looks? Or how has the campus changed since your time at UCD? Why don’t you come and tell us your stories, share your memories and chat to UCD Archives about maybe donating some historical treasures from your student life. Sure what else would you be doing with that collection of rowing head bands you have!

A fine collection of head bands on the UCD rowing team in November 1976 (UCD News)

Since the decision to move University College Dublin to Belfield was taken in 1949, the vision of campus development has evolved and grown. When Andrzej Wejchert conceived of the campus’ iconic water tower in 1971-2, he allocated 10 gallons of water for each student, projecting an enrolment of 15,000 students. Today, with over 27,000 students, the campus has evolved beyond the forms and structures of the 1960s and ‘70s in new directions.

Back in 1963, Andrzej Wejchert began his sketches for the Belfield campus masterplan at his mother’s kitchen table in Warsaw without ever having visited Ireland let alone the proposed site. UCD’s campus is a constantly evolving landscape and there is no one date upon which its foundation or realisation can be situated. Likewise, the campus of today is a showcase of iconic names in Irish and international architecture over the past half-century.

Belfield 50 envisions a celebration of the diversity of the built heritage of all the campus and you can be a part of that celebration.

UCD Festival on Saturday 8 June from 12-6pm.

Come and join us in the UCD Alumni Lounge located in the new University Club where you can tell us about your memories, your fellow students, your worst exam, your favourite student club and your everyday college shenanigans! We will have oral historians, a photographer and an archivist on hand to help, advise and answer any questions you may have about the Belfield 50 project.

UCD Alumni Lounge is located in the new University Club beside O’Reilly Hall and the Vet Hospital. Drop in and say hello!

We look forward to meeting you, having a chat and maybe even enjoying a cuppa. Fingers crossed the sun makes an appearance!

• This post was researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy, Archivist, UCD Archives.