The Irish Times (Property)
October 2004

Commercial Buildings Reel In Top Architecture Awards

Architecture Awards: Roches Stores in Henry Street, Dublin, has just won its second design prize of the year, proving just how effective a good building can be to commercial enterprises, reports Emma Cullinan

At a ceremony last night Roches' architects and contractors were given an Opus Architecture and Construction Award, in the over €5 million category. This comes on top of an RIAI (Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland) award for the "Best Contribution to Urban Design" which the company received in May.

It's not enough to just win design awards, the true test, for any company that has commissioned a well-designed building, is to attract customers in through the door and to implant the company's name in people's heads. Some iconic buildings have shown just how ably architecture can achieve this.

Until this year few people had heard of Swiss Re but, since Sir Norman Foster built them the "Gherkin" in the City of London, the reinsurers' name has tripped from the lips of those who have nothing to do with the financial sector. It's the same with Lloyds, which commissioned their iconic building from architect Richard Rogers, and the furniture company, Vitra, which commissioned a museum for its German factory and headquarters from Frank Gehry.

While many commercial enterprises may be tempted to build fast-track, low-budget sheds, those who want to cultivate a certain image can reap huge publicity, and attract visitors, with a special building. While most Irish people knew of Roches anyway, the new store has become a talking point and has helped to change Henry Street (along with the "Spike" which towers at one end). Yet most Irish architectural awards are won by schemes in the public sector - which is commissioning some amazing buildings - and private clients who want special houses. So it is heartening that the Irish Management Institute also won an Opus award for its conference centre at Sandyford, Dublin 16, designed by Arthur Gibney and built by Duggan Brothers (Contractors) Ltd.

While most architectural awards in Ireland have recently been won by non-commercial buildings, Pelham House by Horan Keoghan Ryan Architects took an RIAI award this year, as did The Pavilions shopping centre in Swords, by OMS Architects, a couple of years' ago, along with the Silicon & Software Systems headquarters in south Dublin by FKL Architects.

A number of housing developers are also commissioning award-winning designs with Coppinger Court in Cork, commissioned by Michael Finn & David McSweeney, attaining a "Best Sustainable Building Project" from the RIAI and an Opus housing award. The scheme was designed by Magee Creedon Architects and built by Murnane & O'Shea Ltd.

With three Irish architectural awards every year, it is common to see the same buildings come up again and again, indicating that there are only a certain amount of good quality buildings being erected in Ireland, or that at least there is some consent as to what makes a good building. Nearly all of the Opus award winners have already won an RIAI award, and often an AAI prize too, although some practices don't enter them all.

Perhaps to lessen the overlap, Opus, now in its sixth year, has changed the awards slightly. Instead of just being offered to the architect, they are also award to the building contractor. "The criteria placed particular emphasis on aesthetic design, build quality, function ability and sustainability. All shortlisted projects were visited by the judging panel to ensure that the original design was supported by good architecture and build quality," said Ciaran O'Connor, of the OPW (Office of Public Works) and chairman of a panel of judges that comprised architect Noel Dowley, Roger Dunwoody (retired managing director of contractors Dunwoody & Dobson), Eugene Cleary (joint managing director of Cleary Doyle Ltd), and Pearse Sutton (founding partner of O'Connor Sutton Cronin Consulting engineers).

Because of the relatively small building community in Ireland there was an overlap between certain judges and projects: the OPW received an Opus award for both the Palm House restoration in Glasnevin (with John Paul Construction), which has already won an RIAI award, and the Ulysses Exhibition, National Library of Ireland (with builder PJ McLoughlin). And two Cleary Doyle builds: the Dargan Moloney Science & Technology Building, Belvedere College by Murray O'Laoire Architects; and the Sportslink Swimming Pool Complex, Dublin 9, by Burke-Kennedy Doyle Architects, were "Commended". The stipulation in the entry form was that judges had to declare any interests and be absent while their scheme was being assessed.

The Opus judges were assessing schemes in different categories to the RIAI and AAI and weren't constricted to just offering one prize in each section - in fact, in past years they've awarded no prizes at all in certain categories. This time, too, there were RIAI award winners who were "Commended" by Opus, and vice versa, but this time who's to know whether it was the build quality or design quality that had swung the vote and, with a lack of any judges' citation at the time of going to press, we're none the wiser.

This year there were awards aplenty. In total, 150 entered the awards and 15 winners were chosen over six categories, with a further two "Highly Commended" and six "Commended".

There are some stalwarts in here with Tom de Paor's green utility building in Clontarf, built by Merrion Contracting, delighting judges yet again, following on from success in both the RIAI and AAI awards. Just in the way that NMA has done with Roches, this gently angular structure has shown that certain types of building don't have to endlessly follow on from the dullness of what has gone before.

Howley Harrington Architects also gained an award in the housing category, on top of the "Best Housing Project of the Year" award they received from the RIAI. Their Balgaddy housing scheme in west Dublin was built by relative newcomers to the Irish construction industry, Gama Construction Ltd.

The house in Dublin's Adelaide Road with a glass extension projecting out towards the canal (by Robin Mandal Architects with R Doyle Construction), which was "Commended" by the RIAI, has won an award this time.

It's good to see Box Architects winning an award for work on a house in Dublin (Thomas Keane Construction). Designing extensions can be a thankless task but Box has turned it into an art form although they're now hungry for bigger projects.

The Galway School (Ard Scoil Mhuire, Ballinasloe) by Grafton Architects and Purcell Construction has come back for another award after winning the AAI Downes Medal.

Limerick County Hall by Bucholz McEvoy Architects with John Sisk & Son won an Opus award, too. This was recently up for an RIBA "Sustainability Award", during the Stirling Prize ceremony, although in that case it was pipped at the post.

The heritage sector has fared well, with three awards, including the two OPW buildings and an award for Waterford City Library by McCullough Mulvin Architects and O'Connor Brothers. Dublin 8's youth has also been well catered for, with an award going to Henchion-Reuter Architects' Youth Service & Community Centre in Donore Avenue, Dublin, built by Meadowleck Construction, and a "Commendation" for a creative new sports centre and housing project by Brady Mallilieu Architects and Bowen Construction Ltd.

Awarding building contactors for work well done has been a positive move. Let's hope that in future awards we will see more commercial buildings of architectural merit.

Supported by O2, the Opus Architecture and Construction Awards were staged by the Construction Industry Federation and Expo Exhibitions, organisers of Plan Expo, an exhibition concerning the built environment. All winning designs of the Opus awards will be on display at Plan Expo which takes place at the RDS from November 4th-6th

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