Our urban concept is to respect the industrial heritage by reprogramming the existing buildings. These are supported by low horizontal structures, some of which are rehabilitated existing industrial shed structures mixed with some lightweight additions which activate the public realm. The Public Space is organized in a sequence of plazas which run through the site connecting Alexandra Road to the Sea and Views of the working port.
This North South Axis breaks through the base of the silos providing a cover plaza which is characterized by the repurposed silo funnels and the view which opens up of the port as you approach the Silo Gallery. From this Sheltered Public Space you can access the Archives located in the smaller side silos, The main Gallery or go directly to the restaurant and panoramic roof terrace.
This North South Axis breaks through the base of the silos providing a cover plaza which is characterized by the repurposed silo funnels and the view which opens up of the port as you approach the Silo Gallery. From this Sheltered Public Space you can access the Archives located in the smaller side silos, The main Gallery or go directly to the restaurant and panoramic roof terrace.
The proposal also contemplates the possibility of a connecting shuttle following the existing train tracks on the site to bring people from the Luas stop from the Alexandra Road road and we could connect via a crane to a new Cross Liffey Ferry Stop. We retain the possibility of connecting with R&H Hall in the future via the existing Bridge where we have also located a Box Park made of Containers to animate the seafront.
The Odlum Silos and their unique location are the main drivers of the project. The opaque façade makes it suitable for gallery and archive space as well as creating a destination gallery on the banks of the Liffey.
The light metal structure makes it easier to manipulate. We respect the exterior volume of the Silo and Carve out spectacular Gallery Spaces from within. We have also allowed for white box and black box galleries, a top floor restaurant, food retail experience and viewing deck. The National Maritime Archives are located within the smaller adjacent silo which is stripped of its appendages so it can be read as a singular volume on the waterside alongside the Main Silos. We have stacked the archives vertically with research and reading on the top. This takes advantage of the existing circulation tower in the Main Silos which becomes like a vertical street connecting all the programs together.
For this outline masterplan design we would just like to demonstrate the potential of a hotel project on the site integrated into the former Flour Mill. The current façade and proportions of the Flour Mill make it ideal to house either creative incubator offices or Boutique Hotel Rooms. We will need to insert new floor slabs replacing a lot of the existing bracing steelwork and then simply open up bricked up openings, insulating and bringing the building up to current technical standards. We are proposing a permeable ground floor with coworking spaces and access for conference rooms at the rear and feature roof terrace with breakfast bars and outdoor seating.
In the Bagging Tower we have proposed to simply replace the infill concrete with glass and screens, retaining the structure and floor plates which will become Artist Studios and/or Creative Offices. We have placed a penthouse on top which will serve as the Dublin Port offices with views all around the port.
At ground level we have a public interface with the existing sheds being transformed to workshops, market, retail café etc which all activated the plaza between the tower, the flour mill and the silo. Containers are placed below the roof to house services, storage and define areas underneath in an open plan singular roof.
We have proposed a New Building on Alexandra Road next to R+H hall which has a present on the street and included some of the other programs in the brief eg an Aquarium which could be reprogrammed as any type of immersive visitor experience following consultation and client discussions.
Project Start
January 2019
Completion
May 2019
Architect
Stephen Foley Architects Ltd. & CAMPUS t/a SFA42 with Mendoza Partida Architects
Project Team
Stephen Foley, Johan Berglund, Hector Mendoza, Mara Partida, Marc Sanchez
Landscape Architect
AECOM Landscape
Project Management
AECOM
