The Urbanist — IPUT Special: A Tour of Wilton Park and How It’s Transforming Dublin

Podcast: The Urbanist
Host: Andrew Tuck, Monocle
Episode: IPUT Special: A Tour of Wilton Park and How It’s Transforming Dublin
Date: October 29, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of The Urbanist offers an in-depth look at Wilton Park, a 600,000 square foot redevelopment project in Dublin led by IPUT, the city’s leading property investment company. The episode focuses on how the project is reshaping not only a specific site, but the character and life of an entire neighbourhood. With interviews from developers, local residents, corporate tenants like LinkedIn, artists, and design collaborators, the conversation uncovers the importance of placemaking, community trust, sustainability, and cultural heritage in urban transformation.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Placemaking Beyond Architecture (01:13–04:43)

• Wilton Park is not just another office campus; it’s centered around a one-acre triangular public park next to the Grand Canal, open and accessible every day.
• The initial act of reopening the previously locked park and restoring a neglected Victorian fountain served as a tangible gesture of trust and placemaking, setting the tone for the project’s community focus.

Quote:
“The first thing we did to build trust was to reopen the park. …We put 80 deck chairs in. And that small gesture is probably the most impactful gesture that we have done in terms of placemaking and establishing Wilton park as a place in the local community, in people's consciousness.”
— Niall Gaffney, IPUT CEO [03:00]

2. The Neighbourhood’s Perspective (04:43–08:49)

• Local resident Christopher Kelly shares the significant improvements to safety and public life: increased activity throughout the day eliminated petty crime and improved the sense of security.
• He praises IPUT’s direct engagement with residents during the construction phase and the ongoing maintenance of public spaces.

Quote:
“It’s the activity and the multi-use activity — people here in the evening, in the morning, in the daytime. That brings … a good public realm and a safe environment. Huge improvements, just practically, for the residents.”
— Christopher Kelly, Resident [05:24]

• The seemingly mundane—like a dedicated outdoor vacuum cleaner and power-washing—turns into a symbol of ongoing care and quality.

3. Long-Term Impact Study: Making Impact (08:49–14:00)

• IPUT undertakes a five-year longitudinal study, “Making Impact”, to assess socio-economic, environmental, social, and cultural value.
• Discoveries include the popularity of a simple dog park—an intervention made after direct community feedback.
• The importance of curation: events (yoga, markets, dog activities) and governance are vital—public realm spaces cannot simply be built and abandoned.

Quote:
“To do public realm and placemaking really well, you don’t have to spend a huge amount of money. Some of the simplest things—like the deck chairs—have probably been the most impactful.”
— Marie Hunt, IPUT Head of Research [12:54]

• Public perception scores dropped when the park was closed and rebounded above pre-closure levels after reopening (from 8.7/10 before closure, down to 6, and up to 9.3 after reopening) [12:04].

4. Corporate Tenants & Community Integration (14:00–19:04)

• Global companies LinkedIn, Stripe, and EY have set up major headquarters here, drawn by the quality of life, public realm, and community integration offered by Wilton Park.
• LinkedIn’s Chris Kelleher highlights easy commute options, world-class facilities, and the park’s role in staff well-being.

Quote:
“There’s very few reasons not to come into the office…and during the summer the amount of people that come out here into the park, use the fabulous deck chairs and just sit out and socialize…People like variety.”
— Chris Kelleher, LinkedIn [17:26]

• The project’s open F&B offerings and events serve not only tenants but the wider community, reinforcing a sense of openness.

5. Placing Arts and Culture at the Centre (19:04–24:17)

• Wilton Park includes purpose-built artist studios, a permanent exhibition space, and a writer in residence.
• James Early’s “Signs of Life” stained glass installation and artist residencies represent a commitment to enriching the site’s cultural and artistic legacy.

Quote:
“What makes an office or a location or a workplace a place is that emotional connection, that human interest. And unless you have that, you can't differentiate yourself.”
— Niall Gaffney [19:04]

• Artists Siobhan O’Callaghan and James Early speak of the value and rarity of having creative spaces embedded directly beneath high-tech and corporate tenants.

Quote:
“To remind people of the value of culture and creativity in our everyday lives…It is vitally important that not only for artists, these spaces are available…but also as a reminder to the people in the area that we exist and that there is value in it.”
— Siobhan O’Callaghan [23:27]

6. Landscape, Biodiversity, and Sustainability (24:17–29:49)

• Maylam Ltd, landscape contractor, and Townsend, landscape architect, were brought in early, shaping landscapes both at ground level and on building terraces.
• Emphasis on biodiversity: insect hotels, birdhouses, diverse plantings, and sustainable water management systems (roof irrigation, local material sourcing).

Quote:
“From a site which, go back 10, 15 years ago, was just a kind of boring office space…now it’s birds, bees, insects…the insect houses. It’s just created a complete new zone of landscape on a roof in the middle of Dublin city.”
— Thomas O’Mahoney, Maylam Ltd [28:17]

7. Extending the Public Realm (29:49–32:29)

• Collaboration with Waterways Ireland enabled continuity between the park and Grand Canal, creating a seamless public realm experience.
• Visitor numbers soared from 500,000 to 1.2 million unique visitors in a year, even before new F&B offerings had launched.

Quote:
“We're setting the bar quite high for ourselves, but also for the city. And if it brings the standard up, it speaks to us being a catalyst for good in the city, which all cities need at the moment.”
— Niall Gaffney [30:32]

8. Historical Resonance & Legacy (31:44–33:23)

• The project intentionally echoes Dublin’s heritage of Georgian squares and Victorian parks, aiming to replicate their social and communal function for the modern era.

Quote:
“The most important placemaking initiatives…were the creation of squares, public squares, and parks around cities. They were the social media of their time…For us to replicate that, we’re just repeating some of the best values in history.”
— Niall Gaffney [31:44]

• The restored Victorian fountain is both a personal and community highlight.

Quote:
“To see people sitting around that fountain on a Saturday or Sunday having a coffee, just chilling, to me that's the most stimulating and rewarding aspect of this entire development. Never mind the financial returns…having some purpose like that, bigger than financial returns, is a real motivator.”
— Niall Gaffney [32:33]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “An office is an office is an office. What makes an office or location a place is that emotional connection, that human interest.”
  — Niall Gaffney (03:00, 19:04)
• “It’s the activity…that brings a good public realm and a safe environment.”
  — Christopher Kelly (05:24)
• “Some of the simplest things—like the deck chairs—have probably been the most impactful.”
  — Marie Hunt (12:54)
• “LinkedIn as a company wants to create economic opportunity for everyone. We don’t want to be that insular…We want them to contribute to the community and to the environment.”
  — Chris Kelleher (17:26)
• “To have like that depth of culture that art brings is very, very important.”
  — James Early (23:06)
• “It is vitally important that…these spaces are available…as a reminder to the people in the area that we exist and that there is value in it.”
  — Siobhan O’Callaghan (23:27)
• “It’s birds, bees, insects…the insect houses. It’s created a complete new zone of landscape on a roof in the middle of Dublin city.”
  — Thomas O’Mahoney (28:17)

Important Segment Timestamps

• [01:13] Wilton Park’s vision, opening park before offices
• [03:00] The impact of place-making gestures (park and fountain)
• [04:43] Resident perspective on public realm and safety
• [08:49] The “Making Impact” five-year study
• [11:09] Implementing community feedback (dog park)
• [12:04] Measuring perception before/during/after park closure
• [14:00] Attracting global tenants
• [16:00] LinkedIn’s Chris Kelleher on workplace and community
• [19:04] Artist studios and cultural integration
• [20:58] James Early on “Signs of Life” installation
• [23:27] The necessity for artist spaces in the city
• [24:17] Landscaping and biodiversity efforts
• [29:49] Emotional impact of seeing the park used by all
• [30:32] Collaboration with Waterways Ireland and impact on visitation
• [31:44] Connecting to historical placemaking traditions

Tone and Language

• Conversational, enthusiastic, community-oriented, occasionally reflective.
• All speakers stress the importance of long-term thinking, emotional connection, and civic pride.

Summary

Wilton Park stands as a forward-thinking example of urban redevelopment rooted in placemaking, community trust, sustainability, and integration of arts and culture. The episode moves step by step from architectural intent to resident experiences, corporate engagement, creative energy, ecological resilience, and public heritage. With both subtle and striking gestures—restoring a fountain, welcoming dogs, embedding artist studios, and curating a lively urban park—IPUT and its partners have created a city space that feels genuinely open, lived-in, and loved. Wilton Park’s evolution demonstrates that successful city-building is about more than bricks and leases; it’s about forging emotional ties, creating shared experiences, and setting a higher standard for public realm in growing cities.