For St. Patrick’s day…
we thought it would be fun to do a little search across the pond to find 17 of the most interesting modern architectural structures throughout Ireland.
Enjoy!
Titanic Belfast by Todd Architects is located on the harbor front in the center of Belfast. At 150,700 s.f, it is the largest museum of it’s kind dedicated to the Titanic. Its four soaring aluminum clad shards were inspired by the hulls of boats constructed at this very dockyard a century ago.
Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre by Heneghan Peng Architects was nominated for the Stirling Prize in 2013 for this subterranean visitor center, which is designed as an extension of the stunning natural landscape of Antrim’s rugged coastline. The green-roofed Centre is formed from “two folds into the landscape” with stone columns imitating the extraordinary basalt formations of the Causeway itself.
Formwork Studio by Architecture Republic, is located in Dublin. Architecture Republic conceived this artist’s retreat as a simple textured cube, with work benches, seats and steps formed by a continuous ribbon of concrete around the room. The minimalist style and lighting creates a serene and calming atmosphere, resembling many works of Tadao Ando.
VISUAL & the George Bernard Shaw Theatre by Terry Pawson Architects is an €18-million building located in Dublin and is a multifunctional space for the arts which combines a high-ceilinged exhibition space for displaying contemporary art and a large theater venue. The building consists of a series of volumes clad with opaque glass and is presented on a raised concrete plinth, which provides ample lighting for the galleries in the day and a contemporary lantern by night.
Dwelling at Maytree by ODOS is located in Wicklow, and looks more like a contemporary gallery than a private home. It’s structural elements consist of open-plan living spaces beneath a steep tree covered escarpment. Amongst the snow white walls and cool gray window frames are flashes of lime and a bold cantilever supported by bright red columns.
The Plastic House by Architecture Republic is a residential renovation project which transformed a typical mid-terrace house into a futuristic minimalist environment. The interior has been left entirely open with double-height spaces and gantries throughout (only the bathroom is enclosed), and its pure palette of black and white gives it the feel of a 3D Mondrian painting.
Trinity Long Room Hub by McCullough Mulvin Architects, was designed as the new Humanities Research Building at Trinity College in Dublin. The Long Room Hub is intended to form a modern yet contextually respectful intervention alongside the College’s Neoclassical buildings. The building’s façades are comprised of stone and glass to echo the material palette of the surrounding architecture, however it’s simplified aesthetic offers a striking contrast within the historic square.
Scale of Ply by NOJI, Dublin is a two story Victorian home in Dublin that received a major interior upgrade from NOJI in 2014. As a previously dark and damp building, the architects envisioned a luminous design with a plywood lattice structure as the focal point. The new interior features a series of interconnecting triangular planes that are positioned to allow deep light into the home throughout the day. With the original ground-floor walls knocked down, the new kitchen and dining space now also extends into covered areas that relate to the garden.
Roscommon Civic Offices by ABK Architects is a 71,000 s.f. civic office for city council and is located on the former site of a criminal justice precinct in Roscommon. The building is created as a series of interlocking volumes and a central, linear concourse that serves as the primary public space, linking offices with a large council chamber at the front of the structure. dramatic windows line the façade, allowing ample natural light into the building. The unique design also attributes to a variety of external spaces such as woodland gardens, a forecourt and a covered walk sheltered by the cantilevered form of the offices above.
3 Mews Houses by ODOS are private residences located in the city center of Dublin and most certainly echo the areas industrial heritage. The cantilevered upper section is comprised of powder-coated, metal industrial floor planks arranged in varying widths to create a dynamic rhythm along the mews frontage. Behind this metal veil, open-plan living spaces are punctuated with plant-filled rooftop terraces.
DrlLexicon by Carr Cotter Naessens Architects is set in Moran Park, Dublin and visibly demonstrates the natural fault line between the harbor and the town of Dun Laoghaire. The building is wedged into a granite escarpment that reconnects the two levels of the park. The upper is a shared public space with a pond constructed as a series of weirs, a raised belvedere that extends toward the sea and a forecourt at the library’s entrance. The building shell is concrete with red brick and granite façade comprised of two forms; Along the street are meeting rooms, workshops and reading spaces, while the park-side space houses a lounge with a “piano nobile” above, each with long windows that frame the park.
Grillagh Water by Patrick Bradley Architects is a contemporary piece of architecture set in rural Northern Ireland . It’s innovative and low maintenance design really shows how good design within a modest budget can impact and inspire its occupants. The farmhouse is constructed out of four 45-foot-high cube shipping containers and greatly influenced by the form of local agricultural sheds. Its unique cantilevered form features rusted COR-TEN steel and dark gray expanded metal.
Island Dwelling by O’Neill Architecture is a private home located on the Aran Islands, has spectacular views of the Cliffs of Moher and the surrounding landscape. The 1,119-square-foot house is located on the north end of the site with a south-facing garden. The main entrance is located on the lower level with two double bedrooms. A staircase that follows the slope of the hill leads upward to an open-plan living space. A 323-square-foot studio sits behind the main building. The project was constructed with a special honeycomb structure clay masonry, allowing the house to be breathable and light amid the high moisture content of the area.
Bord Gáis Energy Theatre and Grand Canal Commercial Development by Studio Libeskind, Dublin
When this project completed a little over a decade ago, it was truly at the heart of the revitalization effort for Grand Central Harbor. The civic structure is a 2,000-seat performing arts center with 375,000-square-foot office and retail space. The Grand Theatre has become the main façade of the project, serving as a backdrop for activity and performances on the large public piazza. The two office blocks feature multistory glazed atriums, courtyards and landscaped roofs.
Flynn Mews House by Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects was built in the heart of Dublin on the site of an 1847 coach house and was part of the Dublin Green Building Pilot Program. The original historic façade was restored and remains the main entrance. Its design reframes the site using a distinct two-volume formation that flanks an interior sunken courtyard. A glass bridge is suspended across the central void, visibly connecting the interior, exterior and the historic character of the house.
Solid Sanctuary by 4 Architecture, located in Sligo is a striking wooden box set in a vast landscape. The project was designed with a gradual sloping roof and carved recess to allow maximum natural light while providing diagonal views of the surrounding environment. The vertical slits throughout the façade work to further encourage daylight into the structure, while a corner window frames the view of a nearby mountain. While bright and airy, it also gives ample privacy.
