City Quay

The site for the project is located on the south bank of the Liffey Quays in Dublin’s Docklands. Bounded by City Quay, Princes Street South and Gloucester Street South, the northern quayside portion of the site falls within an archaeological zone. To the west is a group of protected structures: City Quay Church, Presbytery including associated gates, piers and railings.
The site is zoned to allow a tall building to be considered, the design of which would be developed as part of a framework plan for the area. The brief is to provide approximately 20,000sq m gross of high quality offices with car parking and associated facilities. Pedestrian access is via a ground floor entry lobby which may also contain exhibition space, meeting rooms and café facilities.
Vehicle lifts are located midway along Princes Street South to allow access for cars and bikes to Level -2  basement parking at approximately -5.4m. Plant and Services are also accommodated at this level. With a 5m floor to floor height, Level -1 is proposed as an open plan trading floor with perimeter pavement level rooflights.
To improve pedestrian circulation along the scheme, the ground level is setback on Princes Street South. The entry level perimeter is to be protected by a 900mm high flood protection wall which will also integrate the required vent shafts to the basement car park.
Open-plan flexible office floor plates are served by two service cores containing escape stairs, goods lifts, M+E and sanitary services. Standard office floors have a clear internal height of 2.7m within a 4m floor to floor zone.  Glazed passenger lift banks serve all floors with walkways located in the atrium space. Roof level is occupied by plant, maintenance access points and façade maintenance equipment.
The massing of the scheme is split in a north-south direction with the eastern portion rising to 11 stories. Relating to the scale of City Quay Church, the western block is 3 stories high and links to the taller neighbouring block by a glazed atrium. With air intake at the base and exhaust through the roof, the naturally ventilated atrium is to be fully occupied at its base level and also by a series of pods which are dispersed through the levels above and accessed from the standard office floors.
Detailed studies and consultation were undertaken in relation to the replacing and relocating the adjoining primary school facility, including provision of below ground multi-purpose hall and roof top play deck. A new presbytery and community facility was also studied. The project was halted with the financial crash in 2008.