AAI Site Visit: Grand Canal Harbour (PPE Required)

Architect’s Description:

The project involves the creative conservation, adaptive reuse and extension to the remaining industrial heritage of the former Grand Canal Harbour in the Liberties. Opened in 1785, only the striking 19th century curved stone building survives in a reasonably intact state. A complex and interesting structure, it retains evidence of its former uses, initially a warehouse, and later an experimental maltings for Guinness. These two distinct layers and the curvilinear form make it an interesting and important building for conservation and reuse.

Forming part of a larger, predominately residential, urban regeneration project, the curved building is extended and adapted as a mixture of uses – flexible office space on the upper floors with a shop, café and artist studios activating the ground floor to the street and new public spaces. New interventions and alterations are designed to be unambiguous examples of their time that will not diminish the integrity of the original structure. The extension respects and enhances the curve of the harbour edge and street, it is expressed as a curved brick extrusion with a lightweight metal roof in keeping with the industrial heritage of the area.

Architects‘ Statement:

We are architects working at the intersection of contemporary design and creative conservation. Our work includes – the design of new contemporary buildings, the adaptive reuse of existing buildings and the creative conservation of many important historic buildings and places. Creativity loves constraints, we turn perceived constraints into opportunities by making optimum use of what exists. We believe that change is continuous, that buildings are effectively alive and resilient enough to evolve over time to serve new viable uses. Creative conservation is the process of managing this change whilst preserving and enhancing the values that make historic buildings and places special.