The Berkeley Library at 50: An exhibition curated by Donal Hickey

This exhibition marks the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Berkeley Library in Trinity College, undoubtedly one of the finest modern buildings on this island. Drawing on the archival resources of the Irish Architectural Archive, in particular the Ahrends Burton Koralek Architects collection, as well as the resources of TCD, and further afield, exhibition curator Donal Hickey seeks not only to unpick the evolution of the design of the Berkeley but also to set it in its broadest context.

The exhibition is a collaboration between the Archive and the Library of Trinity College Dublin.

Paul Koralek was just 28 when he won the international competition in 1961 for a new library building in Trinity College and the exhibition includes the original letter sent by J.V. Luce, Professor of Classics at Trinity and the library competition registrar, informing him of his victory. Luce, clearly unaware that the winner was living in a bed-sit in New York while working for Marcel Breuer, casually wonders whether Koralek has an office in London as well as New York.

The exhibition explores the evolution of the architecture of the Berkeley Library from Koralek’s competition-winning entry to the as-built structure.