Acquired by Guinness and generously gifted to the surrounding area as an Enterprise Hub, the building was once a mill race fed by the River Poddle.
- Location The Liberties, Dublin
- Client Guinness Enterprise Centre
- Project Enterprise & Innovation Hub
- Scale 6,100m²
- Project LeadLisa Smyth
The Story
The interior fit-out celebrates the warehouse’s historic functionality by preserving and restoring its original brickwork, zigzag roofline, and steel structure, creating a striking backdrop for the minimalist design.
The Challenge
With a 40% expansion requested for the Ground Floor Café to accommodate increased occupancy, the existing structural piles dictated which walls could be retained. Reddy A+U leveraged this constraint to design a framework for the main servery and create seating niches that also function as semi-private meeting booths.
To address our client's concern that tenants might prefer the fourth floor for its views and natural daylight, Reddy A+U raised the third-floor ceiling to 4.5 meters, enhancing the co-working space and maximising daylight from the new glazed curtain wall.
The Outcome
Inspired by the site's heritage, Reddy A+U blended modern steel and glass with the industrial context. Salvaged steel from the existing roof was repurposed for the reception and hot desk areas. Exposed structural elements, like spliced columns on the upper floor, are mirrored in the fourth-floor corridor, creating a rhythmic backdrop for communal spaces.
Project Team
Lisa Smyth is the Head of Interiors at Reddy Architecture + Urbanism. Since graduating in 1996 Lisa has worked as Interior Project Architect in Ireland and internationally on a wide range of projects including Office, Retail, Hospitality, Healthcare, Student Amenity and Accommodation and Residential Fit Outs.
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