SHU Dingle Campus Wins National Design Award

Redevelopment project earns national recognition for blending historic preservation with modern educational design

Key Highlights

• SHU Dingle campus redevelopment won the 2026 Educational Building of the Year Award
• The project transformed a historic school building into a modern university campus while preserving its heritage 
• Judges praised the redevelopment for successfully balancing conservation and contemporary educational needs

Sacred Heart University's Dingle campus earned national recognition at the Building and Architect of the Year Awards 2026. 

The Tralee-based MRG Consulting Engineers won the Building of the Year, Educational (Under €10 Million) award for the campus's redevelopment of the former CBS secondary school in Dingle, County Kerry, Ireland. The project also earned finalist recognition in three additional categories, including Building of the Year and Conservation Award.

Judges praised the project as a “standout conservation-led redevelopment,” citing its successful balance of heritage preservation and contemporary educational needs. The recognition highlights a deliberate effort to honor Dingle's architectural history while creating a modern learning environment for students.

SHU Dingle executive director Gary Delaney said the University was intentional in selecting the right team for the work. “We were very careful to ensure we selected a design team with an in-house conservation architect who would navigate us and Kerry County Council through the opportunities that would arise to conserve and modernize the building,” said Delaney.

The project was originally conceived by award-winning architect Liam Waldron and later led by conservation architect Mary O'Connell and architect Louise Fleming. Delaney also credited Ned O'Shea Builders for delivering an exceptional standard of work throughout the redevelopment.

Since opening in March 2025, the campus has been warmly received by the local community. The national award affirms the collaborative effort to transform a historic structure into a place where students can learn, grow, and belong, while preserving an important piece of Dingle's heritage for years to come.