Introduction
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County is located between the southern suburbs of Dublin City and the Wicklow Mountains on Ireland’s east coast.

Dun Laoghaire is the administrative centre for a county with a population of approximately 193,000 persons. It is located on the southern shoreline of Dublin Bay and is most notable for its harbour, which was built early in the 18th century. Dun Laoghaire harbour has been the main passenger embarkation port for the UK since 1837. The completion of the Carlisle pier in 1860 provided for the first steam packet ships. The service moved to St. Michael’s Wharf in 1998 with the advent of the high speed ferry. The foreshore is documented by the railway which was first opened in 1834, one of the earliest commercial railways in the world. It now provides a 20-minute ride to Dublin City.

Identity
The objective of the design proposal was to develop an appropriate form and identity suited to the library and culture centre.

The principle idea was to create a single built entity that expresses the notion of unity and collective activity yet balanced with desire to allow different activities within the complex to have their individual expression and identity.