At the opening of the new Áras Thuaidh
building in TU Dublin, Tallaght, Biomedical Design Student
Diana Wielgosz shows Minister James Lawless a prosthetic
hand she designed
Photo by Tony Gavin/Glasseye
New TU building poised to be hub for innovation and research
A NEW 5,200 m² multi-disciplinary building at Technological University Dublin’s Tallaght campus was officially opened this week.
The landmark development, which increases the overall campus area by 15 per cent, represents the largest single expansion of teaching and research facilities since the campus became part of the Technological University nearly seven years ago.
The new Áras Thuaidh building was delivered via a Higher Education Public Private Partnership (PPP) and is poised to become a central hub for teaching, innovation and research in hospitality, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, apprenticeships, and culinary arts on the Tallaght campus.
TU Dublin’s approach to education is closely aligned with industry, at the intersection of academic excellence and real-world applicability.
With over 800 industry partners co-designing and contributing to programmes, students work with authentic employer problems and tools from the start of their studies.
This new building is purpose-designed to support this, delivering more opportunities for ‘hands-on learning’ for students in Dublin and equipping graduates with the confidence and applied skills that industry now demands.
As well as expanding access by increasing TU Dublin’s local student capacity, the pivotal new building will also support modern and flexible learning through, eleven teaching laboratories, including a design studio, six lecture theatres and six classrooms, two training kitchens and one production kitchen, a training restaurant, cutting-edge research facilities across mechanical engineering, electronic engineering and culinary arts.
The building will support high-quality programmes on the Tallaght campus, including those in hospitality, culinary arts, engineering and apprenticeships.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, who formally opened Áras Thuaidh, said: “Áras Thuaidh is more than a building, it’s a symbol of our shared commitment to investing in people, opportunity, and the future of South-West Dublin.
“Its opening marks another major milestone in Ireland’s drive to strengthen higher education infrastructure.
“With renewable energy initiatives at its core, Áras Thuaidh stands at the forefront of applied sustainability.
“This impressive multi-purpose facility is purpose-built to support modern teaching, learning, and research. It is equipped to spark creativity, innovation, and collaboration across the campus and beyond for generations to come.
“I hope staff and students enjoy this building and the opportunities for learning and discovery it offers as part of this fantastic campus here in Tallaght for many years to come.”
