We are pleased to announce the pre-planning design for Dublin City Council’s Grow College Green, the flagship project that reimagines the historic heart of Dublin as a world-class, people-first public realm.

Grow College Green is being led by Dublin City Council in partnership with the National Transport Authority, supported by a multi-disciplinary design team headed by Irish architects Scott Tallon Walker and OKRA, urban design and landscape architects from the Netherlands, along with specialists in planning, lighting, heritage, accessibility and community engagement. The project’s mission is to shape the capital city as a destination for everyone, not only a place to shop, work, gather and celebrate, but also a space to pause, breathe and connect.

A world-class public space that celebrates heritage and identity

Historic layers have informed and inspired the design through subtle pavement patterns, historic materials and improved views to reveal its heritage and restore a powerful sense of arrival and civic identity.

Three pillars that guide the project

1. The design creates a liveable and vibrant city that feels inviting and comfortable tounwind, meet and enjoy everyday moments, encouraging culture, conversation and connection from morning through evening.

2. It prioritises a connected and accessible city with calmer, safer routes for walking and cycling, as well as intuitive and independently navigable streets linking seamlessly with public transport and nearby neighbourhoods, simplifying movement in an inclusive, comfortable and user-friendly experience.

3. At the same time, it builds a resilient and healthy city through climate-responsive design that limits heat build-up, manages rainwater, reduces noise, improves air quality, supports biodiversity and brings nature into Dublin’s historic character, adapting to future climate challenges while supporting wellbeing.

From the outset, our ambition has been to create a city centre that works better for everyone, a place that is safer, greener, and more accessible, a space that feels good to spend time in. Informed by users of the city, this project will transform how people experience the heart of the city. It will deliver wider, clearer and more legible routes for moving through the area, linking the north and south of the city centre along the civic spine; greener, more tranquil spaces to spend time; and a setting that supports everything from everyday activity to cultural events and major civic moments.

Quote from David Flannery, Director at Scott Tallon Walker Architects: As Design Team Leaders, Scott Tallon Walker Architects, recognised from the outset that the Grow College Green project required a response which would be both contemporary and grounded in its historic significance. Selecting the right design partners was therefore a crucial first step. Our collaboration with OKRA and the wider team has been central to the project’s development.

Through a rigorous and open design process, the  Grow College Green team have worked to reconcile the demands of movement, gathering, heritage, and climate adaptation, allowing the proposal to emerge as a carefully considered civic landscape, one that respects the character of the place while supporting the evolving life of the city and contributing to a sustainable and resilient future.

Richard Shakespeare, Chief Executive of Dublin City Council

Built with the city and for the city

The design is developed with extensive public participation and ongoing conversation, engaging local businesses, residents, students, and community groups to shape a city centre for everyone.

Across the project area, the updated design for Grow College Green is built around what people want from the heart of their city, adapting to both the energetic and quieter rhythms of the day.

This project unlocks incredible opportunities for Dublin and its people while weaving in nature-based climate‑adaptation strategies. I’m truly excited to see this proposal transform such a valuable, heritage‑rich public space with new energy, resilience, and lush greenery!

Rapa Surajaras, senior landscape designer at OKRA

Dublin City Council is now inviting public feedback on the Grow College Green project. Guided by feedback from this public consultation, we’re excited to shape the final design and take Grow College Green into the planning stage by summer this year!