Mason Hayes + Curran, Dublin
Reddy A+U were asked to design an office building and interior fit out for a large legal practice with 800 staff. The scheme was to incorporate a protected 19th century warehouse as part of the first phase of a planned larger development for this client.
The building forms part of a campus of buildings on the client’s lands, the building is the first phase of a planned larger development. It encompasses the gable of the adjoining protected warehouse via a glazed link
An atrium allows all working areas to benefit from natural light and reinforces the open plan arrangement adopted by this leading legal practice. This social and practical change was a design proposed by Reddy A+U and we worked closely with the clients estates team to undertake this change management process.
A number of contrasting requirements lead to the development of technical solutions to the east and west facing façades. The ambition to exploit city views through floor to ceiling glazed facades were balanced by the use of passive technologies, including external brise soleil, to reduce solar gain and glare.
The site required an extensive flood protection strategy. The technical design solutions to the windows, doors and entrances featured steel flood doors finished in natural stone cladding. These were designed to compress into a steel frame in the event of rising flood waters.
“We wanted a bright building, …an understated atmosphere, …a modern look and feel to demonstrate that we are aligned with clients. Your design achieved all of these objectives. Open plan is not common among law firms. At your suggestion we tested it, decided to use it and 6 years later we are still delighted with the results” – Kevin Hoy, Mason Hayes + Curran
