Ballsbridge-Dodder Pedestrian Bridge Competition won by Alan Dempsey

000009

The national architectural competition to design the proposed Ballsbridge-Dodder Pedestrian Bridge in Dublin South City has been won by Alan Dempsey, a 34-year-old Irish architect from Dublin. The pedestrian bridge project forms part of Mountbrook Group’s substantial package of social and community gain initiatives for the local area, arising from the proposed Ballsbridge Jury’s Berkeley Court development. The bridge will be located downstream from the existing Balls Bridge.

A graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology, Mr. Dempsey’s design was chosen from 43 submissions, by a panel of experts from the worlds of architecture and engineering. As the winning entrant, Mr. Dempsey receives prizemoney of 50,000, in addition to a fee for the commissioning of the project. Sponsored by Mountbrook Group, the competition was organised by the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) and was specifically aimed at Irish architects under the age of 35.

Commenting on the announcement of the winning entrant, Sean Dunne, Managing Director of Mountbrook Group, said “This competition has been an opportunity for young Irish architects to put themselves on the map and make a valuable, long-lasting contribution to Dublin’s public infrastructure. For the panel of judges, Alan Dempsey’s design stood out as a sleek, modern and elegant architectural creation. Mountbrook Group was determined to provide a chance for young Irish architects to express their innovation and imagination through what will be a landmark piece of civic infrastructure. The large number of entries and the particularly high standard of submissions suggests a healthy future for architecture in Ireland, and I wish to warmly congratulate Alan on his achievement.”

Alan Dempsey is currently based in London, where he recently established his own architecture and design office, Nex Architecture www.nex-architecture.com