The Mater Hospital, Eccles Street, Dublin 7
The Rock Wing Headline Facts
348 terracotta-facing precast concrete panels, covering 4,000 sqm.
Contractor: John Sisk & Son
Architect : Scott Tallon Walker
Location: Dublin
20 Merrion Rd, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, D04 C9E2
Glencar House Headline Facts
243 reconstructed stone panels, covering 3,700 square metres.
Contractor : Walls Construction
Architect : Reddy Architecture + Urbanism
The Distillers Building, Smithfield, Dublin 7
The Distillers Building Headline Facts:
197 brick-facing precast concrete panels, covering 1,969m2
Contractor: John Sisk & Son
Architect: BKD Architects
Haymarket House, Smithfield, Dublin 7
Haymarket House Headline Facts:
129 brick-facing precast concrete panels, covering 2,006m2
Contractor: Collen Construction
Architect: Reddy Architecture & Urbanism
Garda Security & Crime Operations Centre, Military Road, Kilmainham, Dublin 8
Garda Security & Crime Operations Centre Headline Facts:
316 reconstructed stone panels, covering 6,462m2
Contractor: John Paul Construction
Architect: OPW
27 Lower Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2, D02 KT92
ESB HQ Headline Facts:
2,227 reconstructed stone and brick-facing panels, covering 16,483m2
Contractor: PJ Hegarty & Sons
Architect: Grafton Architects & O’Mahony Pike
Wintertide, Northwall Quay, Dublin 1
Wintertide Headline Facts:
674 reconstructed stone panels constructed offsite, covering 6,250m2 of the façade.
Contractor : Bennetts Construction
Architect : ABK
Cardiff Lane, Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin 2
Cardiff Lane Headline Facts :
463 reconstructed stone panels, constructed offsite, covering 4,387m2.
Contractor : PJ Walls
Architect : Henry J Lyons
Building Performance Rating : LEED Platinum
Grangegorman Lower, Arran Quay, Dublin 7
Grangegorman Central Quad Headline Facts:
611 brick faced panels covering 9,439 square meters.
Contractor : Sisk / FCC JV
Architect : FCB Studios
Stephenstown Industrial Park, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin, K32 W665
Techrete Offices Headline Facts :
730 reconstructed stone panels, covering 9,700 square meters.
Contractor : P. Elliot LTD
Architect : James Smyth Architects
Techrete Factory Stephenstown Industrial Park, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin
Techrete Factory Headline Facts:
906 industrial sandwich panels, covering 10,600 square meters.
Contractor : Elliotts
Architect : John Smith Architects
Spencer Dock, North Wall Quay, Dublin 1
Spencer Dock Headline Facts:
1,600 reconstructed stone panels, covering 11,700 square meters.
Contractor : CMP
Architect : Scott Tallon Walker
Smithfield, Dublin 1
Smithfield Headline Facts:
700 natural stone faced and panels covering 5,500 square meters.
Contractor : G&T Crampton
Architect : HKR
Roches Stores / Debenhams Henry Street, Dublin 1
Roches Stores Headline Facts:
120 reconstructed stone panels, covering 1,520 square meters.
Contractor : G&T Crampton construction
Architect : Newenham Mulligan
43 Hanover Riverside, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin
Riverside Headline Facts:
520 natural stone faced and reconstructed stone panels, covering 4,820 square meters.
Contractor : P. Elliott
Architect : KMD
Dublin Landings, North Wall Quay, Dublin 1
Dublin Landings Headline Facts:
470 brick faced panels, covering 5,805 square meters.
Contractor : Walls Construction
Architect : ARROW Architects & RKD Architects
The Finer Details:
Dublin Landings is one of two landmark riverfront buildings developed in the historical, heart of Dublin City. Given the historical tone in the docklands it was important that these two buildings aligned with the nature of the area, this meant that RKD Architects and ARROW Architects would have to coordinate their designs. The elevational design was developed to provide a calm foil next to the lively Central Bank of Ireland facades immediately adjacent. Brick cladding was among choices made to refer to and reflect the palette of historical Docklands materials of the area, and also to present an understated elegance in the finished elevations
Walls Construction enlisted both ARROW Architects and RKD Architects to design a building that would be part of Project Wave. A commercial office and residential redevelopment located in the dock lands of Dublin city. Project wave as a whole will deliver up to 65,000 sq. m of commercial offices and residential opportunity. This phase of Project wave is situated on the forefront of North Wall Quay, alongside some of the most prominent office headquarters in Ireland such as the Central Bank of Ireland.
At an early stage in the project it was decided that the facades would be formed in precast elements, partly for programme and cost reasons but mainly to achieve the highest levels of quality and precision in the expression of the brickwork, through meticulous fabrication of the brick façade on the building to the exacting quality demanded for this prime development. Techrete was chosen by RKD due to their proven ability in the industry and the high quality of product which would suit this prime development area. Techrete designed, manufactured, erected and sealed the architectural precast concrete cladding of the façade on the building. The initial task was to find a façade design that would marry the existing tone of the area which already is filled with high rise buildings some with unique façades. It was decided that brick face façade units would be used to both align with the manner of the area and allow the façade to be prominent. The façade covered 5,805 m² made up of 470 nr. of units. These units consisted of brick faced wall panels, mullions and spandrels. The mullion panels were two storey high and although they were difficult to erect the team were able to use less fixtures.
When deciding to use brick on the façade two European bricks were ordered, this caused complications during moulding because of brick tolerances. The installation of the façade was undertaken with tower cranes and was a relatively smooth operation with the exception of the ESB substation where panels had to be installed with a mobile crane. This elevation was restricted access use due to the close proximity of the central bank. Separately installation was in an adhoc sequence due to the tight programme, EPDM and installation needed to be applied in advance of the panel installation and cranage needed to be sequenced on relevant days with two separate crews.
Capital Dock, 82 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin 2
Capital Dock Headline Facts:
1,105 brick facing, punch window panels, covering 8,279 square meters.
Contractor : Sisk
Architect : O’Mahony Pike
The Finer Details :
Completed in 2018 and situated at Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Grand Canal Dock, ‘Capital Dock’ is the tallest residential building in Ireland and with 23 floors, it is the third tallest storeyed building on the island of Ireland. Construction began on this 79 meter, landmark residential building in 2015 and took three years to complete.
Designed by OMP Architecture in a modernist style and developed by American firm, Kennedy Wilson, the total Capital Dock development spans 4.8 acres and features more than 1.5 acres of public space. The design intent was for strong simple forms to clearly reference the traditional industrial architecture of the docklands, while at the same time exuding a timeless quality.
At an early stage in the project it was decided that the facade would be formed in precast brick elements, not only for improvement of the site programme, but mainly to achieve the highest levels of quality and precision in the expression of the brickwork, through meticulous fabrication of the brick façade on the building to the exacting quality demanded for this iconic development.
The brick was incorporated during the casting phase of the panels and the resulting product benefits from all of the advantages of precast whilst maintaining the look and feel of traditional materials and techniques. Reconstituted stone was used for the cills which helped the structural make-up of the panels.
Another key feature of this brick faced project from Techrete’s perspective was the fitting of the windows off-site, some of which included Juliette balconies. This helped considerably with the main project programme as the brick-faced panels along with the windows and balconies were erected together onsite. To minimise the vertical panel joints, the panels were designed to sleeve behind one another, helping to achieve the elongated look of the design brief. The sleeving also helped to form a structural surround for the windows to be fitted off-site.
Due to the high rise nature of the build, it was necessary for Techrete to begin installing panels before the steel framework was complete and panels were installed to level 14 with a mobile crane under the concrete frames formwork. This allowed for simultaneous erection of the frame and precast panels, assisting greatly with reducing the on-site programme. The precast cladding seamlessly matched the limited area of traditional brickwork on site. The logistics of manufacturing the panels, followed by co-ordination of window / balcony fitting and finally site installation required in-depth planning and organisation.
Capital Dock won ‘Housing Project of the Year’ at the Irish Building and Design Awards 2019
Visual Control Tower, Dublin Airport
Visual Control Tower Headline Facts:
115 reconstructed stone panels, covering 2,375 square meters.
Contractor: BAM
Architect: Scott Tallon Walker
The Finer Details :
The Visual Control Tower at Dublin Airport is one of the tallest structures in Ireland and it is Ireland’s tallest occupied building. Contracted by BAM and standing at 87.7 metres high, the tower provides clear views for current and future runways at Dublin Airport. Designed by Scott Tallon Walker Architects, the building comprises a 17-storey shaft with a 4 storey control room sitting on top and to help achieve the design brief of an elegant, modern structure, it was essential that the tower shaft displayed no cold joints and that the surface was of an excellent finish.
Techrete were involved on the project with Scott Tallon Walker from the initial concept and design stage of the tower to ensure that their design intent of this unusual project could be achieved. Techrete were engaged to provide and install the curved precast panels for the shaft with feature knuckles arranged in a triangular shape.
Future maintenance was a key consideration for the project and as such, the shaft facade was designed as a rain screen with open drained joggle joints, allowing rain water to funnel behind the panels and drain out at the bottom of the structure, fulfilling the ‘self-cleaning’ intent of the design.
The unusual shape of the shaft and panels required Techrete to design bespoke structural hanging brackets to support the heavy loads of the panels. Multiple curved timber moulds of varying shapes and radii were designed and manufactured to produce the unusual and varying shapes of the panels. The mix chosen for the panels was our popular C190, white mix and panels were given an acid etched finish. A key challenge for Techrete on this project was the limited time to install the panels before the Control Room steel frame was due to arrive on site and be installed.
The Visual Control Tower won ‘Engineering Project of the Year’ at the Irish Building and Design Awards 2019.
10 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2
10 Molesworth Street Headline Facts:
262 brick facing, natural stone facing and reconstructed stone panels, covering 3,515 square meters.
Contractor: PJ Hegarty & Son
Architect: Henry J Lyons
The Finer Details:
Techrete were engaged to design, manufacture and erect over 3,500 m² of architectural brick faced precast concrete cladding panels, as part of the façade of number 10 Molesworth Street. Chosen for our speed of erection and Techrete’s ability to provide for quality control of the brickwork and jointing, the architectural precast element consists of mullions, spandrels, parapets and stone-faced wall panels. The carefully chosen mix was Techrete’s timelessly elegant light, warm, off-white mix with an etched finish. To complement the mix, a natural stone-faced wall panel was chosen.
The brick wall panels offered a striking yet complementary contrast to the reconstructed stone mix. The chosen brick is a blended red colour range with off-white mortar joints. To keep with the Georgian tradition, the bricks were laid in a Flemish bond. The building combines both traditional and contemporary design and with careful selection of materials and modern construction methods, the symmetry and overall appearance of the building has managed to adopt the genre of prestige that is synonymous with this area of Dublin.
UCD Engineering & Materials Science Centre, Stillorgan Road, Belfield, Dublin 4
UCD Engineering Building Headline Facts:
200 GRC panels, covering 2,500 square meters.
Contractor : Cleary & Doyle
Architect : Scott Tallon Walker