Development of this site included a new commercial Lidl store, retail units, and the creation of a new public plaza to ensure the permeability and knitting together of the urban forms. The new retail store boasts a modern architectural design and façade treatment, a spacious interior layout with higher ceilings and wider aisles, meaning Lidl can offer customers a greater shopping experience, set within a new urban realm at this place. Darmody Architecture guided the client and design team to project completion.
Sector: Retail
Lidl Ballybough Development
A proposed retail store at upper level, and retail units at ground creates active street edges to create a permeable and legible Urban block in a prominent city centre site. The design of commercial entrances and animated facade treatment results in positive urban corners for an active retail facade, which was previously void of activity in North Dublin city.
Adopting a strategy to ensure that the new building sits comfortably within the eclectic scale of the surroundings, particularly having regard to the domestic scale of the most direct neighbours. The form, massing and urban design of the proposed scheme has been sensitively and carefully considered to ensure the proposal will constitute a lasting contribution to the character and quality of the existing street-scape.
Bray Mixed Use
Darmody Architecture developed a masterplan which would firstly accommodate a new Lidl retail store above undercroft parking within a new residential and commercial centre. The retail element would be the first phase of development with a masterplan of mixed-use elements. The development concept to create a new robust inner suburban typology of four and five stories of building blocks of commercial and residential uses set about a series of public realm spaces. The completed vision was one of a modern contemporary collection of buildings shaping a new quarter on the edges of Bray town
Mespil Hotel
Darmody Architecture delivered a new entrance to the Mespil Hotel to give a sense of arrival and gravitas commensurate with the Mespil Hotel experience, ensuring a visual portal to the hotel with appropriate branding. The structure now presents a welcoming feature aligned with the statue of the hotel, delivering an entrance which celebrates the romance of the hotel experience. As the scale of the existing building demanded a strong visual element a continuous curved canopy was generated with columns of bronze, and backlight onyx stone framing the doorways. A back element was softly light with star burst lights to the soffit and further articulated with a framed bronze ceiling lattice. Its final composition robustly rests to the north elevation creating the lasting threshold to the Mespil Hotel which it so desperately desired.
CHQ
The CHQ Building dating back to 1820 is a significant presence in Dublin’s Docklands. It was acquired by our client Nevil Isdell in 2011 who set about breathing new life into the building and the area. Darmody Architecture was retained to carry out a feasibility study on the building with a bias towards having a singular event space at the vault level. Following the completion of the feasibility study Darmody Architecture was appointed to design a series of spaces which would allow for the creation of a museum type environment for the experience which would become EPIC Ireland. Darmody Architecture in conjunction with a skilled design team refined the concept and developed the scheme through to planning permission dealing with agencies such as the DDA and DCC.
Laois Shopping Centre
Laois Shopping Centre is located in the vibrant market town of Portlaoise. This is an important trading town within the Midlands of Ireland. The challenge for Darmody Architecture was to transform the existing suburban retail centre and create a town centre, which could provide a new focal point creating much needed retail experience and employment for the local community. The new facility encourages and enables pedestrians through the site with car parking located below ground. Darmody Architecture seamlessly grafted the historic 1980’s structures into a bright modern 21st Century retail experience set over basement parking.