Concourses reminiscent of a Soviet metro station, a “no-smoking” smoking area, and enough hidden-away classrooms to host a rapidly fracturing left-wing movement; could this be the end of an era? The Newman Building represents a fortress of Arts & Humanities in UCD, but new plans have been revealed to give it an extensive refurbishment. Work on a new black box theatre and media lab to host theatre productions, Freemason meetings, and satanic rituals is nearing completion, but this only represents a small part of the overall programme for Newman.
Over the next 12 to 14 years, The Turbine understands great strides will be made to substantially rejuvenate the Newman Building and bring it up to modern standards. This bold decision has been welcomed by most students and faculty; however, the plan is not without its detractors. Organisers for the Save Newman Building campaign have objected to the proposal on a number of grounds. A statement released by the group, composed entirely of UCD Architecture affiliates in a faraway place called Richview, claims that UCD has not considered the architectural and cultural impact of its plan.
Dr Connor Crete, one of the leaders of the group and an expert in the architectural history of the Belfield campus, told The Turbine that these moves by UCD were part of a broader whitewashing campaign.
“You’ve already got these unseemly white plastic tacky signs,” said Crete. “Our heritage must always be preserved, such as the moss-enabled organic light filtering system on the clerestory windows, that kind of random bench which faces the entrance to the School of Geography, and of course, Newman Basement.”
In the wake of this dissent, UCD is considering taking steps to dismantle the UCD School of Architecture, which reported a financial loss for the third-year running, largely due to the considerably increased demand for aromatic wood glue.
Despite delays, it is anticipated that the development will eventually go ahead, and it is understood that many of the classes currently offered in Newman will be relocated to the O’Connor Centre for Future Learning. Besides reservations from the School of History regarding the ironic name for their temporary new home, serious health concerns have also been raised regarding the Vitamin D shock that could afflict non-acclimatised Newman Basement dwellers. Prior to the move, it is understood by The Turbine that enabling works will be carried out on O’Connor Centre’s ventilation system to facilitate the dangerous levels of smoke from packs of JPS Gold.
Cat Stevens – Newman Troglodyte