On September 2nd, UCD officially opened the latest building in its ever-growing Belfield campus. The €20 million Moore Centre for Business is the new, shining branch of the Quinn School, and is set to be a hub for creativity and collaboration. The building is named in honour of Dr. George Moore, a UCD alumnus who is regarded as ‘’the founding father of data analytics’’. As an advocate for the importance of education and the benefits it brings, the building is aptly named in his memory.
Opening the ceremony was Angela Moore, the highly successful entrepreneur, philanthropist, founding donor and wife of the late Dr. Moore. Guests included three generations of the Moore family, corporate partners, lecturers, alumni of the Business School and students. In a heartfelt speech, Angela recalled the successes of George and wished that the new school would open as many opportunities for students as were presented to George during his time in UCD.
The Moore Centre is home to some interesting, forward-thinking spaces. Students will now migrate from the decaying Arts building to the new 320-seater PwC Lecture Theatre, with its throwable microphones and amphitheatre seating. They may also find themselves in the EY Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub or the KPMG Skills Zone, both of which encourage teamwork and side-by-side learning and are the results of donations of an undisclosed amount from these companies.
State-of-the-art facilities for students to work outside of class time are also present in the building, in the form of a Media Suite, where students can record and edit podcasts and videos. There is also the THINK Lab, which resembles a modern office environment, and the Immersive Room, with its mobile seating and numerous white boards. And, if you want to study with possibly one of the most unique views on campus, go to the top floor and sit near the outdoor bee pollinator rooftop!
All of the above are seamlessly connected to the existing Quinn building on all three floors. The purpose, according to Maeve Houlihan, Director of the School of Business, is to stimulate ‘collision and collaborative coworking’ between students and staff alike.
If the Moore Centre for Business is symbolic of the talent that will emerge from UCD and go into the professional working world, it’s safe to say the future is bright.
Alex Lohier – Deputy Editor
