The Curragh Racecourse is Ireland’s most important thoroughbred racecourse for flat racing. Every year it is home to Ireland’s five Classics – the Irish 1,000 Guineas, the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the Irish Oaks, the Irish Derby and the Irish St Leger. The racecourse which has hosted racing since the 1700’s is located on the Curragh Plains in Co Kildare, less than an hour’s travel from Dublin City. The racecourse is situated on a site rich in history and tradition, the preservation and strengthening of which was a core consideration of the winning proposal.
Integral to the concept for the new grandstand and wider master plan is the importance of celebrating the unique landscape of the Curragh plains, whilst retaining the intimate and distinctive character of the existing racecourse grounds. The redevelopment aims to upgrade the facilities and amenities of the site with an innovative design that will create a sense of arrival, atmosphere and excitement.
Angela Brady chairman of the Awards Jury (immediate past President of RIBA and director of Brady Mallalieu Architects London) stated:
“This was a very well run competition and being anonymous for all stages until the final presentation was an essential element in the judging process. We examined six short listed projects all very different and unique. In the final stage of the competition our jury were faced with three exemplar designs and it was always going to be hard to decide the winner. However after much discussion and testing of the design ideas our jury came to a unanimous decision. We wish the design teams and client group and supporters every success in bringing their vision for the Curragh Racecourse to fruition, to add to the excitement of horse racing in Ireland”.
