Innovation Square Apartments; commissioned by South Dublin County Council (SDCC) is the first local authority funded standalone cost rental development in Ireland.  Completed in late 2024 and comprising 133 new homes, Innovation Square is in a new urban district of Tallaght known as ‘Innovation Quarter’ and represents the largest single-tenure cost rental project by a local authority in Ireland to date. The innovative design for modern living provides studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments in two podium blocks, with interconnecting three-bedroom homes, a managed community facility, a beautifully landscaped shared courtyard, and ample bicycle parking.

The development is an integral part of an area masterplan that saw delivery of a new link road, significant public realm enhancements creating increased permeability, and a transformational necklace of public open spaces. It also includes SDCC’s new innovation centre, Work IQ, and these adjacent projects were supported by the Urban Regeneration Development Fund (URDF) creating a gateway to regeneration of a wider area that has the potential to deliver up to 11,000 new homes and create up to 15,000 jobs under the Tallaght Local Area Plan, while also setting the benchmark for future development in the centre of Tallaght,  providing inviting and animated public spaces that foster social interaction, vibrancy, and diversity.

SDCC have delivered this project via a multi-disciplinary team led by Coady Architects with construction by J.J. Rhatigan.  The use of modern methods of construction (MMC) including offsite fabrication of precast concrete wall panels with brick finish, insulation, windows, and internal finishes delivered to site complete and ready for installation, allowed completion within a tight delivery programme.  The scheme is the first residential project connected to the Tallaght District Heating scheme and will provide an important template for this nascent low carbon sector going forward.

Cost rental housing is internationally recognised as a long-term investment in sustainable, high-quality residential developments that create greater housing opportunities for all.  Innovation Square helps to address a national and local objective to provide providing additional long-term, secure rental homes and will positively impact local housing supply, moderate rent market pricing and kickstart town centre regeneration while also expanding our district heating scheme.  In the longer-term it presents a significant initial step towards a Vienna-type model, ensuring well-maintained public housing assets that will yield significant ongoing social benefit that will only further increase when SDCC’s initial investment is repaid after 40 years.

Meeting Point: Innovation Square, Cookstown East Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24

Building is fully accessible