Dublin Gasworks
3 apartment buildings, 1 administrative building, 1 renovation
Once, Barrow Street was one of the worst areas in Dublin. It was a poor neighborhood associated with the Dublin docks, full of crime. The omnipresent smell from large gas tanks repelled the residents and passersby of that time. One tank still stands here today, although in a significantly better version. This time, instead of gas, it contains apartments.
The overall development project on Barrow Street is the work of the O'Mahony Pike office. The complex consists of five buildings - one tall administrative building and four residential buildings. The studio specializes primarily in larger urban projects—both urban and suburban. This is reflected in the treatment of public spaces around the Alliance building, as the Dublin Gasometer is called. Barrow Street is undoubtedly a good example of what is currently happening in the Dublin Docklands area. The neighborhood has become one of the most sought-after locations for new apartments and offices. There are a large number of remarkable projects from the slender skyscraper Altro Vetro to the completing opera of Daniel Liebeskind.
The Dublin Gasometer is a smaller cousin of its more famous Viennese counterparts. However, unlike in Vienna, this Gasometer stands alone here. This fact paradoxically adds to its quality, as the adjacent buildings appear somewhat dull. It is a circular structure inserted into the original, now monumentally protected skeleton. The new building does not touch this steel structure at all and is entirely independent of it. The architect successfully used dark glass as the sole material for the facade, making it very elegant in the context of the crimson coating of the steel. The nine above-ground floors are thus unified into one whole. The only dividing element is the outer diagonals of the original structure. The facade thereby gains a third dimension and perhaps even a fourth, thanks to the remarkable reflections on the glass.
The main entrance was created by removing one module from the new structure. In the inner courtyard, a circular turnaround with a tree in the middle captures attention. Residents can temporarily park their cars here. Otherwise, the project has underground garages both under the adjacent buildings and under the Gasometer itself. Access to the individual apartments is provided by two opposite stair towers and circular balconies lining the building along its entire perimeter. The staircases are made of steel and, compared to the concrete used in the main building, are meant to reflect the old supporting structure.
In terms of visual materials, wood and plywood in a light orange color are predominantly used here. The warm color of the walls, together with the light concrete structure, creates a very friendly impression. As for the layout, the building contains apartments ranging from 1+1 to 3+1. Due to insufficient lighting, only kitchens, bathrooms, and smaller children's rooms are opened to the inner courtyard on the lower floors. Otherwise, all living rooms have windows facing the outer circuit. To separate the apartments from public spaces, the balcony is set back approximately 1.5 meters. Thus, the apartments are accessed via small bridges. For greater privacy, the windows are equipped with internal wooden blinds.
Conclusion
It seems that the trend of circular buildings is coming back to the forefront, whether it's conversion, reconstruction, or new construction. Among the restored silos by MVRDV, the Tietgenkollegiet student dormitory by Lundgaard & Tranberg in Copenhagen, or Gasometers from Vienna, this project can confidently take its place.
Author's word: O'Mahony Pike
"The centerpiece of the Dublin Docklands regeneration proposal is a nine-story residential building with a continuous fine glass facade, standing at the end of a long promenade leading to Barrow Street. The design also includes the conversion of the old gasometer, which is a protected monument. Offices and shops are located on Barrow Street, near the new train station. The residential buildings on both sides of the promenade and on the north side vary in height and form, providing a wide range of different housing units and generous garden spaces."
The overall development project on Barrow Street is the work of the O'Mahony Pike office. The complex consists of five buildings - one tall administrative building and four residential buildings. The studio specializes primarily in larger urban projects—both urban and suburban. This is reflected in the treatment of public spaces around the Alliance building, as the Dublin Gasometer is called. Barrow Street is undoubtedly a good example of what is currently happening in the Dublin Docklands area. The neighborhood has become one of the most sought-after locations for new apartments and offices. There are a large number of remarkable projects from the slender skyscraper Altro Vetro to the completing opera of Daniel Liebeskind.
The Dublin Gasometer is a smaller cousin of its more famous Viennese counterparts. However, unlike in Vienna, this Gasometer stands alone here. This fact paradoxically adds to its quality, as the adjacent buildings appear somewhat dull. It is a circular structure inserted into the original, now monumentally protected skeleton. The new building does not touch this steel structure at all and is entirely independent of it. The architect successfully used dark glass as the sole material for the facade, making it very elegant in the context of the crimson coating of the steel. The nine above-ground floors are thus unified into one whole. The only dividing element is the outer diagonals of the original structure. The facade thereby gains a third dimension and perhaps even a fourth, thanks to the remarkable reflections on the glass.
The main entrance was created by removing one module from the new structure. In the inner courtyard, a circular turnaround with a tree in the middle captures attention. Residents can temporarily park their cars here. Otherwise, the project has underground garages both under the adjacent buildings and under the Gasometer itself. Access to the individual apartments is provided by two opposite stair towers and circular balconies lining the building along its entire perimeter. The staircases are made of steel and, compared to the concrete used in the main building, are meant to reflect the old supporting structure.
In terms of visual materials, wood and plywood in a light orange color are predominantly used here. The warm color of the walls, together with the light concrete structure, creates a very friendly impression. As for the layout, the building contains apartments ranging from 1+1 to 3+1. Due to insufficient lighting, only kitchens, bathrooms, and smaller children's rooms are opened to the inner courtyard on the lower floors. Otherwise, all living rooms have windows facing the outer circuit. To separate the apartments from public spaces, the balcony is set back approximately 1.5 meters. Thus, the apartments are accessed via small bridges. For greater privacy, the windows are equipped with internal wooden blinds.
Conclusion
It seems that the trend of circular buildings is coming back to the forefront, whether it's conversion, reconstruction, or new construction. Among the restored silos by MVRDV, the Tietgenkollegiet student dormitory by Lundgaard & Tranberg in Copenhagen, or Gasometers from Vienna, this project can confidently take its place.
Jan Vaněček | Dublin
Author's word: O'Mahony Pike
"The centerpiece of the Dublin Docklands regeneration proposal is a nine-story residential building with a continuous fine glass facade, standing at the end of a long promenade leading to Barrow Street. The design also includes the conversion of the old gasometer, which is a protected monument. Offices and shops are located on Barrow Street, near the new train station. The residential buildings on both sides of the promenade and on the north side vary in height and form, providing a wide range of different housing units and generous garden spaces."
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