2005 Press Releases
Taoiseach lays Foundation Stone for The Cavanagh Pharmacy Building at University College Cork (UCC), 8 June
An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern TD today (8 June 2005) laid the foundation stone for the new The Cavanagh Pharmacy Building at UCC. The state-of-the-art building is being built at a cost of Eur22.3m and is due for completion before the end of 2005. UCC's Faculty of Medicine and Health will now be one of the most significant educators in the health sector in Ireland, incorporating pharmacy, medicine, nursing and midwifery, dentistry and clinical therapies.
UCC's School of Pharmacy was established in 2003 and is now one of the fastest growing disciplines in UCC. It enrolled the first 50 students in September of that year and in 2005/06 will also run three diploma/MSc courses in specialist areas of pharmacy. Professor Caitriona O'Driscoll, Head of the School of Pharmacy said that given Cork's importance as a major centre for the pharmaceutical and chemical industry, she anticipated working closely with the sector on research projects. "Research will be an extremely important focus of the UCC School of Pharmacy and in addition, we intend to develop and maintain very close ties with community and hospital pharmacists. Pharmacy is an important addition to the research capability of the University. The School will collaborate with UCC's BioSciences Institute as well as with the Faculty of Food Science and Technology and the Department of Chemistry, which has widely recognised expertise in pharmaceutical chemistry", Professor O'Driscoll said.
The building will incorporate undergraduate and post-graduate facilities for the new School of Pharmacy as well as the Analytical and Biological Chemistry Research Facility (ABCRF), funded under the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) and directed by Professor Anita Maguire, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry. The inclusion of the ABCRF, consisting of inter-disciplinary research teams from Chemistry and Biochemistry whose activities have a natural synergy with the work of research teams in the new School of Pharmacy, will encourage innovative collaborations with partners in the pharmaceutical industry.
Speaking at the ceremony, UCC President, Professor Gerard Wrixon said "UCC has embarked on the creation of one of the largest faculties of Medicine and Health in the country, with the most diverse portfolio of degree programmes. In five years, we have added professional degree courses in Nursing, Pharmacy, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Public Health, increasing the number of students from just 800 in the mid 1990s to as many as 3,000 within another two-three years." He also referred to the incorporation of an industry suite in the school. "This is a clear statement on UCC's support of the Government's drive to promote university-industry partnerships in pursuit of a globally competitive knowledge-based economy" he said.
The building comprises some 5,600m2 of laboratories, lecture theatres, seminar rooms, office accommodation, restaurant, plant rooms, etc. The front elevation facing College Road will comprise three storeys above road level forming the principal entrance with the north elevation comprising four storeys.
The Design Team lead by KSN Project Management and Architects Scott Tallon Walker have responded to the site conditions and produced an exciting contemporary design. The building takes advantage of the south to north sloping site by creating a wide gentle stairway through a 6.5m glazed atrium which links to the adjacent Food Science Building and the Biosciences Institute. The design focuses on sustainable design principles through the use of an intelligent façade and maximising natural light and using passive ventilation where possible.
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) is providing funding for the undergraduate element of the project while ABCRF is being funded through Cycle 3 of the PRTLI. The balance of the funding will be raised from income from overseas students and fund-raising. The first phase of the project commenced in August 2004 and the second phase is due for completion in January 2006.
The Project Team consists of-
UCC Buildings and Estates - Client
UCC School of Pharmacy and ABCRF - End Users
Scott Tallon Walker - Architects
KSN Project Management - Project Managers
Project Management Ltd - Building Services Engineers
Michael Punch and Partners - Civil and Structural Engineers
James Sheehan Associates - Quantity Surveyors
Pierce Contracting Ltd - Main Contractor
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