To maximise efficiency and improve viability, we developed six apartment typologies that fitted within the constraints of a variety of offsite construction systems yet were adaptable to respond to the context of each site, prioritising views and orientation, and utilising external materials that respond to context.

The projects vary in terms of massing and elevational appearance. This limited series of house and flat typologies all meet the Council’s stringent space standards and were rigorously tested for site access, structural assumptions, transportation costs, and vehicle tracking from nearby ports and highways to ensure compatibility with as wide a range of offsite suppliers as possible.

External brickwork cladding and balconies were designed to be added on-site allowing these elements to be tailored to the surrounding context, especially at key corners and entrances. For example, at Bunratty Road, our analysis of the site identified several important corners and views of the scheme and as a result the cladding and balcony arrangement was varied to add emphasis to each of these important corners.

The new buildings are designed to meet Nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) standards with heating supplied by low-carbon, individual exhaust air heat pumps, maximising the use of renewable energy sources.

Bunratty Road

This pilot project delivers 78 homes in semi-detached houses and four 4 storey apartment blocks on Bunratty Road in northern Dublin. This project successfully delivers high quality suburban housing adjacent to a main vehicular artery.

Weaver Place

This project delivers two new apartment buildings on a site in central Dublin, located adjacent to Weaver Park, also developed by DCC. The development responds to a very varied context in terms of scale, ranging from three to seven storeys in height, providing 55 apartments and 60sqm of commercial space for a café facing the park.

Bonham Court

This scheme delivers three new apartment buildings on a site opposite an urban park which had recently been developed by Dublin City Council, in the Liberties area, south of the River Liffey. The new buildings were designed to reflect the former distillery warehouses characteristic of the area. The development provides 57 apartments along with 320sqm of non-residential space for live/work and office start-ups.

Springvale

Located on the edge of Phoenix Park, Dublin’s largest public greenspace, this scheme takes inspiration from the surrounding village of Chapelizod. It comprises 71 affordable apartments in buildings ranging from three to five storeys. Amenities include green spaces, parking, a community scout hall, and a new neighbourhood play area.