Shankhill
| THE DEVELOPMENT
The Shankill Neighbourhood Centre is an €8 million, mixed-use development which has transformed a deserted shopping centre in Shankill Village into a modern space serving the needs of the community.
The centre was designed with sustainability at the forefront. It incorporates many sustainable features and is certified to ISO50001 energy standards. It provides a state of the art undercroft style Lidl store, a separate creche and a third building which houses a pharmacy, a café and proposed medical centre. The project required the realignment of an 80m long, 3m high retaining wall to give lands to the local authority for the future installation of bicycle and bus lanes.
The project also features a planted plaza area, generous pedestrian walking zones, accessible ramps and stairs, car and bicycle parking and drop off/pick up areas.
SDS carried out the role of civil and structural engineer throughout the entire project life and the role of architect during the construction stage.
We were also the design and assigned certifier for the project.
| THE BUILDING
Block A – Pharmacy, Café, Medical Centre
(699 sq m)
This block is a 2-storey building which has a café with outdoor seating, a pharmacy and a lobby for the medical centre on the ground floor. The first floor is the medical centre unit, which could also be used as office space. It was constructed using traditional insulated cavity, masonry walls with a structural frame of in situ reinforced concrete and precast hollowcore
floors and roof.
| THE BUILDING
Block B – Creche (323 sq m)
This block is a small creche unit, just one storey and fully accessible for adults and children alike. The building exits at ground level and there is a little ramp and steps which lead down to a small garden below, which is ideal for outdoor play. Originally, we were employed to design to shell and core only, but we later carried out the fit out works too. This meant becoming familiar with the requirements of Tusla for a creche facility. It was constructed using traditional insulated cavity, masonry walls with a steel frame and hollowcore roof.
Block C – Lidl building (2,773 sq m)
This block is a two-storey building, the entirety of which is an undercroft style Lidl retail store. This includes a car park and entrance lobby at the ground floor with a travellator and, lifts and stairs accessing the Lidl store on the first floor. It was constructed using a concrete frame, poroton masonry and glulam (glue laminated) timber beams with a green sedum roof.
| SUSTAINABLE FEATURES THROUGHOUT THE SITE
• Green roof and glulam roof beams to the Lidl building.
• Permeable paving throughout the car park to provide SUDs.
• EV (electric vehicle) car charging points.
• Poroton clay masonry in the Lidl store.
• Sun blinds and anti glare glass to reduce solar gains.
• Retention and protection of multiple existing trees.
Testimonials
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