Ireland leads the world in concrete design

Concrete, Jul/Aug 2004 by O'Donovan, Marie

The 2004 Concrete Design Awards took place on 3 April in the O'Reilly Hall, University College Dublin. The Irish Concrete Society began the Awards in 1979 and since that time the scale of involvement and number of entries has dramatically increased. A panel of independent engineers and architects evaluated the nominees for their excellence in both design and construction. The 2004 winners included the Broadmeadow Bridge, Swords, the Cedar Brook Modern Housing development, Cherry Orchard and The Helix (Centre for Arts), Dublin City University.

Overall winner

Broadmeadow Bridge, Swords was the overall winning structure which also won the infrastructure award. The bridge carries the northern motorway across the Broadmeadow Estuary (see Figure 1 ). The challenge to design a bridge at this environmentally sensitive location was given by Fingal County Council to Arup Consulting Engineers, Dublin and consulting architect Wilkinson Eyre Associates, London. Part of the estuary is a protected area because of migratory bird population, the resident swans and wetland fauna. The design and construction had to ensure the ecological balance of these species was not disturbed. Ascon-Nuttall Joint Venture, the contractors, were contracted to initially build a temporary jetty to be used as a base from which the permanent bridge was built.

As a consequence, construction vehicles did not disturb the marshland but travelled along the jetty. This structure comprises a multi-span, high-quality concrete box girder. It was constructed by the incremental launch method and externally prestressed. There are two parallel structures, carrying both northbound and southbound traffic. These two structures, 6.3m apart, enable natural light to filter into the wetlands and prevent shadows from affecting the plant life beneath. An elegant curved shape and minimalist supporting piers ensure that the structure integrates into the landscape. The deck is located approximately 12m above the estuary and is thus sufficiently high to be functional, yet low enough not to obstruct shoreline views along the estuary. This is the first bridge of its kind built in Ireland and was opened to traffic by Fingal County Council and the National Roads Authority on time and budget in June 2003.

Elemental category winner

The innovative precast system used for the Cedar Brook Modern Housing development in Cherry Orchard was the winner of the 'Elemental' category. Dublin City Council commissioned the project, which was carried out by John Sisk & Son Ltd and Park Developments. The objective of the scheme was to provide modern affordable homes in close proximity to the city. A fast-track solution was also a key requirement. A precast concrete approach developed by the Concast Precast Group was adopted. This enabled the project programme to be cut by 20%. The development comprises a range of three- and four-storey duplexes, apartments and two-storey houses. The architects in Cedar Brook have succeeded in producing a lively elevational treatment, particularly in relation to the four-storey apartments.

Buildings category winner

The Helix Arts Centre won the Buildings category. The project was intended by Dublin City University to provide a new Centre for the Arts serving the entire north Dublin area, rather than operating solely as a university conferencing facility. The originality and creativity demonstrated on its stage is reflected in the building design (see Figure 2). It houses a 1200 seat concert hall, a 450 seat theatre and an additional 'blackbox' theatre. The unusual design was developed by A&D Wejchert, architects and O'Connor Sutton Cronin, consulting engineers. The building comprises an in-situ reinforced concrete frame with large volumetric space. The focal point of the building is the foyer, which is arranged over three levels, with stunning inclined concrete columns. This provides the orientation and direction via the Helix, which gives the centre its name. The main auditorium area required a column-free area of 45 × 30m. It was necessary for a full concrete roof to be provided to achieve additional sound attenuation as the structure is on the flight path of Dublin Airport.

Other awards

The Student Research Award was presented to Patrick O'Connor and John Prendergast of University College Dublin for a specialist study on the curing of slag concrete. Agnes Conway was awarded the Sculpture Award for a concrete piece simply entitled 'Theatre' (see Figure 3). This sculpture can be seen in the grounds of Birr Castle, County Offaly.

Concluding remarks

The winners of the Irish Concrete Society Concrete Design Awards serve to demonstrate that concrete in Ireland is regarded as a material that can be used in an interesting and innovative manner which complements the natural environment.

* If you have been involved in an Irish project which demonstrates excellence in the use of concrete, you may wish to enter the 2004 Irish Concrete Awards. The deadline for entries is 10 September. For more information, contact Niamh Carr on 353 41 987 6465.