In 1964, a competition to design a masterplan for the UCD campus at Belfield was won by young Polish architect Andrzei Wejchert. The assessors report stated that "The keynote of this design is the Author's idea of arranging the various buildings at either side of a pedestrian mall of interesting and irregular shape..."

Prior to this, UCD was based in Earlsfort Terrace with various departments scattered around the area. After Belfield was developed, the National Concert Hall was developed in the former university buildings.