The elders of Trinity College Dublin wanted a building that spoke to the 20th century as characteristically as its neighbours the Old Library and Museum Building did to the 18th and 19th centuries respectively. And speak to the 20th century it certainly does. Designed by Koralek at the tender age of 28, without ever having set foot in Ireland, it was the first building in what would turn out to be a long career. It was built in situ by G. & T. Crampton using concrete poured into Douglas fir formwork. To this day it retains the power to provoke strong reactions in all who see it. Written by Greg Sheaf

The Berkeley is a brutalist gem that looks as good now as when it opened in 1967. Today it is part of a larger complex of three linked library buildings (one of which, the Lecky Library, Koralek also designed). The building is heritage protected (last updated on April 23, 2024).