One of Trinity’s key spaces for societies, Regent House, can now be booked again for events as of last Monday, having undergone lengthy and delayed refurbishment. However, no formal communication from College has been made about its reopening.
Now finished, nearly nine months after its announcement and almost three months after it was due to be completed, the space is available for academic use and as a bookable space for the college community during the academic year.
Announced in May 2016, and due to be completed by last December, the extensive remodelling of the building was carried out as part of the Trinity Visitor Experience, which aims to improve visitors’ and students’ experience of the college.
During the summer months it will revert to a Visitor Centre, showcasing “Trinity’s heritage, achievements and current activities”, according to College Bursar Veronica Campbell, speaking to The University Times in May of last year.
During the refurbishment, which included the installation of an elevator and accessible bathroom facilities, as well as improvements to the existing audio visual system in the space, a number of student societies had faced disruption as they were forced to carry on their activities in alternative locations. The space is routinely used by Trinity Orchestra, DU Dance Society and DU Choral Society, among others. The Department of Music also allegedly faced disruption caused by the building works.
The project forms a part of Trinity’s commercialisation strategy, which includes the Trinity Visitor Experience, which will also see updates to the Book of Kells exhibition, and the construction of a new visitor centre on the Berkeley Podium. Other components of this strategy have included the incorporation of a commercial subsidiary, Trinity Commercial Brand Services Ltd, an independent company formed by Trinity and overseen by the College Board. This will sell Trinity-inspired products internationally, with a projected yearly turnover of €25 million, and form a partnership with MCD Promotions, which will see Trinity play venue to a summer concert series this July, featuring the likes of alt-j and Pixies.
Asked about the commercialisation strategy and its effect on the College community by The University Times in May, Trinity’s Commercial Director, Adrian Neilan noted that it “absolutely cannot impact student or academic needs”, while still “generating significant funds” for College use. This is then “ultimately used for further support of the academic mission”, he said, going on to note that sometimes College may not get this “balance” right, but that it was important to learn from such situations.
Trinity’s commercialisation strategy also includes the refurbishment of the Nassau Street entrance. The refurbishment of the area will include the renewal of many of the original elements of the building’s walls and floors, which have become dirty, worn and abused over the years since the Arts Block’s completion in 1979, as well as extensive changes to the entrance. This includes the removal of the attendant’s kiosk and the installation of new visual technologies, as well as ticket machines for visitors, a large freestanding monolith welcoming visitors to Trinity erected at the Nassau Street footpath and audio-visual material containing information about College and its history, among other things.
The project, which was due to be finished in November of last year, is ongoing at the time of writing, having suffered a number of setbacks. On November 30th, the college community received an email announcing that the entrance would be “fully operational” again by December 5th.
Trinity’s Commercial Revenue Unit, which oversees the project, failed to respond to multiple requests for comment on the issue of the entrance remaining unfinished and on the completion of Regent House.
