FIT-OUT OF ENTRANCE HALL AND OFFICES, DUN LAOGHAIRE

Floor area: 1800m2 Status: Completed Jul 09 Design Team: IN2 Engineers Services Engineers Mulcahy McDonogh & Partners Quantity Surveyors Kavanagh Mansfield & Partners Structural Enfineers Fire Element Engineers Fire Safety Engineering

The works to the Entrance Hall address the requirements of current standards for ac-cess for all, the environmental requiremements of staff working at the friont desk, and the necessity to renew the public face of the Council after 12 years in the enlarged premises. A new double-glazed frameless screen is introduced along with a new frameless galls lobby, to provide increased insulation and to control incoming draughts in this seaside location. The existing internal ramp is retained and supplemented by a new platform lift which will accommodate wider mechanised wheelchairs, and the reception desk is replaced with a lower desk with induction loops. The original distinction between the main room, centred on it’s four cast iron columns, and the adjacent circulation space is re-established with the introduction of a large frame housing a leaflet and form display, and concealing two steel columns dating from the extension of County Hall. The Hall is paved in wicklow granite and fittings are sustainable hardwood with an ebony stain.

Entrance Hall

The commission for the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Town Hall comprises the re-configuration of the En-trance Hall to comply with current legislative and environmental requirements, and the fitting out of two floors of office space along one side of the main atrium. The fitting out of the office concentrates on providing a good working environment in spaces that have limited height and limited access to natural light. This is achieved through concentrating the services and circulation along a clear linear axis, and raising the ceilings either side as close to the structural soffit as possible. These are then lit with suspended linear uplighters, thus providing spatial relief. Cellular offices are defined with frameless single glazed portioning, and meeting rooms with double glazed partitioning with concealed framing. Furniture and finishes in the office spaces are neutral and calm.

Aerial view of lower floor of-

Offices

NURSING BOARD H.Q., OFFICE FIT-OUT

Area: 2200m2 Status: Complete Design Team: KMCS, Project Managers & Quantity Surveyors PDMS, Service Engineers Horgan Lynch, Structural Engineers

Following a competitive interview process An Bord Altranais appointed OBB in January 2007 as archi-

tects for the fit-out of their newly purchased headquarter building in Blackrock, Co. Dublin. The premises

consisted of four floors of office space totaling 2200 m2. The programme was for the design and fit-out

of the entire in seven months to meet an deadline for vacating their existing premises. The brief con-

sisted of reception and back of house facilities, approximately 50% office space, both open plan and

cellular, a suite of meeting, conference and board rooms, and staff canteen facilities.

We proposed that the top floor accommodate the boardroom, meeting room and staff canteen facilities,

enabling all members of staff to share in the most attractive aspect of the existing building, while the

middle two floors provided the office space organised on a departmental basis, and the smaller ground

floor footprint accommodated reception and ancillary facilities. The existing building had a central circu-

lation and service core around which corridors were organised on the upper floors. Particular attention

was paid to the design and lighting of the corridors to provide an attractive backdrop for casual meeting

and to compensate for the lack of daylight in the central area.

Servicing the building presented particular challenge as floor to ceiling heights were minimal and pre-

cluded the use of raised floors. The split level corridor ceiling accommodates the distribution of both

cable and ducted services from the core. Drops along the perimeter feed skirting level trunking. Ventila-

tion to office spaces is generally by means of natural ventilation but tempered mechanical ventilation is

provided to the core and full air conditioning to the board room and committee room. These latter in-

volved new rooftop air handling units for which planning permission was achieved within the accelerated

programme.

ArchiCad model of fit-out elements The design team completed design and tender documentation in 9 weeks. The tight

contract period of 12 weeks was met by the main contractor, Ardmac Limited

The fit-out is characterised by the use of muted natural tones with the principal spaces

distinguished by the use of walnut veneer paneling to walls and ceilings. The offices

combine new studwork walling with aluminium framed double glazed demountable par-

titions from the iWall system.

Board room Meeting room corridor

Canteen Office corridor

Blanchardstown

Area:: 70—145m2 Completed: 2005 Dundrum, Blanchardstown 2006 Whitewater 2007 Tallaght, Drogheda, Athlone Consultants: Fire Element Engineers Fire Safety Engineers

FIELDS JEWELLERS 1

Fields Jewellers appointed O’Briain Beary to refine and implement a new corporate identity in a series of new and refurbished stores. The new identity was originally developed by John Henry Boyle Design and implemented in the Grafton Street store. The 10 shops completed to date are characterised by the use of curved glass shop fronts, counters and display walls to draw the visitor into the store, blurring the threshold between inside and out, and hinting at further semi-private areas beyond. The range of materials used comprises black walnut veneer, polished chrome, clear and opal glass, stone and polished plaster. Lighting is focussed almost entirely on the jewellery and watches, with background lighting being provided by concealed uplighting.

Whitewater

Blanchardstown Whitewater

Drogheda

Liffey Valley

Area:: 70—145m2

Completed: 2007 Kilkenny 2008 Liffey Valley 2008 Swords 2010 Crescent SC, Limerick Consultants: Fire Element Engineers Fire Safety Engineers

FIELDS JEWELLERS 2

The last four shops of the ten completed to date develop the original themes while making subtle alterations. In Liffey Valley the lighting soffit in the display windows is flush with the opal film exter-nally, resulting in a cleaner line. In Swords new lights are employed to allow the lighting soffit be flush with the main ceiling, resulting in clear full height glazing and a play of transparency between inside and outside of shop. Internally the walnut panels arebrought full height for the first time, and their face is lit with concealed downlights. The fronts of the display counters are changed to provide a cream textured and curved panel, also lit with concealed lights, and the carpet colour has been changed to a more subtle natural hue. The overall effect is of greater richness and warmth.

Swords

Kilkenny Limerick

Swords

NATIONAL ARCHIVES ENTRANCE HALL

Floor area: 1100m2 Status: On Site Architects: O’Briain Beary Architects Consultants: John Doyle & Assoc Structural Engineers EG Pettits Services Engineers Nolan Ryan Quantity Surveyors

The works to the entrance hall of the National Archives involved two consecutive commissions over two years. The first commission was for the provision of universal access to the premises and com-prised the provision of a new larger lobby and a platform lift, along with the decanting of visitor’s lock-ers and cloakroom facilities to adjacent areas, and provision of accessible toilet facilities. The second commission comprised the upgrading of the hallway itself and the main reception desk.

The universal access requirements were addressed by means of a new powder coated aluminium lobby with automatic sliding frameless glass doors. The platform lift, whose installation involved cut-ting of the concrete floor slab, was chosen to harmonise with existing handrails which were retained. The refurbishment of the hall itself involves the making of a walnut clad table or portal built around the 4no. 600mm columns which bear the storage floors above. The new reception desk abuts one of the new legs through which it is serviced. The desk hosts a significant amount of services incl. CCTV for the entire premises and numerous en-try and alarm systems. The counter level drops on the entry side and the face of the desk recesses to accommodate wheelchair users. A removable platform and ramp have been supplied to allow future desk staff to be seated in chairs or wheelchairs.

CHIEF STATE SOLICITORS OFFICE

Floor area: 1600m2 Status: Tender Architects: O’Briain Beary Architects Consultants: Callaghan Engineering Services Engineers Rogerson Reddan Quantity Surveyors

OBBA were appointed by the OPW as architects for the fitting out of approximately 1320m2 of office space at first and second floor level of Findlater House in O’Con-nell Street, a 1960’s concrete framed office building. The brief consisted of recep-tion areas, knowledge centre and executive offices at first floor level, with the bal-ance of office accommodation at first floor level.

SITE PLAN

The proposal involved the retention of some partitioning. The main challenges lay in the unobtrusive accommodation of additional services within a limited floor to ceiling height, and the internal treatment of the existing aluminium windows to provide better acoustics and a finish appropriate to solicitors offices. The project was based on an accelerated programme with initial design through to completion of tender package being completed in a 10 week period. At that stage a decision was made by the Client to locate the CSSO in alternative premises.

Refugee Appeals Tribunal

Floor Area: Various Status: Complete Architects: O’Briain Beary Architects Consultants: Various

O.P.W. SMALL WORKS CONSULTANTS PANEL

Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions

Appeals Commissioners Reception Area

OBBA were appointed the OPW small works panel in 2003. The panel provide services in connection with small works on State owned properties in the Dublin Area . To date work undertaken has ranged from minor alterations in government offices to large scale re-roofing works on protected structures. Based on their experience in restructuring the entrance hall in the National Archives OBB were ap-pointed to develop a proposal for the re-fitting of the reception area for the Revenue Appeals Commis-sioners to a standard appropriate to the nature of the office, with cherry finished boarding pressure treated to achieve a Class 0, and a natural stone floor.

The refurbishment works in the foyer of the DPP’s offices responded to the challenge of incorporating security features in a protected structure. An entrance lobby, recep-tion desk and storage facilities were treated as discrete walnut clad elements on a jura limestone floor. In the refugees appeals tribunal an existing open plan office was upgraded to provide conference facilities lockers and individual work spaces for tribunal lawyers. The work places take the form of acoustically lined booths. A new curved storage walls divide the conference facilities from the workplaces.

Appeals Commissioners Reception Area