Third Level Campus, Dublin
The Sports Hall Building was one of a suite of three new buildings designed for the IADT Dun Laoghaire Campus in Co. Dublin. The Building occupied a key site within the Campus and would be prominent when viewed from the main vehicular approach to the IADT Campus.
The Entrance Foyer of the Building has been located to provide a double height glazed lobby and active façade to this Campus approach. The large volume of the sports hall building is subsumed below the level of the existing roadway to minimise its volume and scale. The resultant split level foyer provides direct access from both the upper roadway level and also the lower Car Park level.
The 2.5 storey massing of the Hall is also reduced in scale by wrapping the ancillary accommodation on the north-west and south-east elevations providing an active façade to the Campus.
The internal planning of the Sports Hall facility was flexible to provide for both sports use and also exam hall, social occasions and formal graduation ceremonies etc. Floor to floor heights for the ancillary accommodation is set at approx. 4.0 metres high. The Sports Hall Area is 9.2 metres above floor level to top of structure, with 7.6 metre clear height for ball playing activities.
The elevations are predominantly of self coloured render – to continue the material and palette of the IADT Campus – with relief provided by extensive curtain walling to the north and west elevation visually signposting the Entrance Foyer and perimeter Fitness Rooms. Large louvre aluminium panels and manifestation graphics applied to glazing and spandrel panels will be used within the curtain walling system to obscure or conceal the ancillary and service spaces behind.
The roof of the Sports Hall is to be clad with a standing seam aluminium panel and has integrated saw tooth glazed north lights to maximise daylighting to the Court and Viewing areas.
Michael Regan of EPCA was Director in Charge / Supporting Architect for this project whilst Managing Director of Reddy O’Riordan Staehli Architects, Cork from 2004 – 2011
