RIAI | Irish Architecture Awards

Citation

Dublin Over €3m

An elegant piece of architecture carefully manipulated to achieve maximum effect on a dramatic site. Without compromising the functional requirements of a strict brief a place has been created which maintains mature surroundings, is a joy to see, and must be a delight to work in.

Architect's Comment
The brief comprises two distinct functions; a research institute for highly specialised investigations in medical microbiology and laboratories for routine testing of medical samples.  The separate activities share technical resources. The site is a sheltered location in Belfield campus, between the carpark and the lake, on sloping ground among mature trees.

Single storey laboratories are planned around a landscaped courtyard and connected to an existing testing facility. The Research Laboratories are raised above the ground, like north facing studios, with long views over Dublin Bay. Extract fumes are filtered and exhausted via the high chimney roof form, with no pipes on the skyline. The steel frame structure is clad all over in fibre cement panels, with wooden canteen and conference rooms grouped under the main body of the building.

A complex brief, stringent technical criteria, restricted budget and the requirement for clear spaces for concentrated work are resolved in a simple and expressive architectural form.

Clients' Comment
The architect with a restricted budget was presented with a brief for a building with two distinct laboratory functions, a service diagnostic unit and a "state-of-the-art" research laboratory involved in sophisticated experiments in infectious diseases. The architect responded to this huge challenge and the product is a unique building which is now a distinct landmark on the College campus. The location is exceptional and has been exploited to allow magnificent views over Dublin Bay. The laboratory spaces are bright, giving a flexibility and openness which allows easy communication among the scientists. The building is confident, optimally reflecting the endeavours and contributions of the scientists working there, and functions beautifully both scientifically and aesthetically.