Cork Street

Landscapes for Work, Rest and Play

Location:

Dublin

Services Delivered:

Landscape Construction

Sector:

Residential Development

Client:

Walls Construction

Landscape Architect:

Áit Urbanism + Landscape

Awards:

Winner, Landscape Contractor of the Year – ALCI Awards, 2022

Winner, Residential Category – ALCI Awards, 2022

Commended Place (Áit Urbanism + Landscape), From Here Student Accommodation Category – ILI Awards 2022

 

Background
From Here Student Accommodation on Cork Street was designed and built to facilitate the growing need for student accommodation within Dublin City Centre. Its design is to facilitate a healthy environment for student work, rest and play with numerous social spaces filled with communal seating and a relaxed biophilic environment. The development itself sits amongst a network of old market streets lined with interesting architecture, craft distilleries, quality cafes and eateries, and vibrant nightlife. Its location has a unique feature as all the major universities in Dublin are accessible on a public transport corridor.

Response
Working closely with our client Walls Construction and landscape architects ÁIT Urbanism + Landscape, this project was completed during the tightening restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our teams were faced with tight procedures and deadlines, with numerous trades on site all working to complete projects within their allocated times on site. This involved meticulous co-ordination with banksmen and teleporter operators for the introduction of semi mature trees and specimen planting. The project was also completed out of season and as a result, all plants and trees were container grown meaning they could be supplied during the summer months without causing any delay to project deadlines.

This landscaping project included a number of key elements:

  • Installation of aluminium and Corten steel metal edging to amenity shrub bed areas.
  • Tree and shrub supply and planting to planters, courtyards and roof gardens
  • Soil supply and installation to courtyard and roof planters
  • Construction of streetside urban tree pits filled with structural soil to facilitate semi mature specimen tree planting.
  • Bound resin footpaths
  • Artificial grass supply and installation.
  • Hard landscaping including blue limestone and silver granite natural stone paving
  • Irrigation systems

The landscape design resulted in three key spaces: a centrally located courtyard, a linear space to the western boundary, and a large accessible roof terrace.

The central courtyard is defined by three island planters which define several subspaces and circulation routes within the space. The centre of the courtyard is delineated by an artificial grass surface and is intended to function as a flexible event space, catering for activities such as musical performances and table tennis matches; two hardwood benches are orientated towards this space, where students can sit and observe activities taking place.

The linear space to the western boundary was defined by several large pergola elements resulting in the most eye-catching features that accentuates the space’s linear arrangement and guides the students to a café seating terrace fronting Cork Street.

The roof terrace provides ample seating areas with additional viewing points along the edge of the space for students to sit and look south towards the Dublin-Wicklow mountains. In addition to the large accessible roof terrace, two other roofs host a total of 468m2 of extensive green roof, slowing rain water run-off while increasing the projects’ overall biodiversity value.

Results
SAP Landscapes was delighted to win the coveted Bog Oak Trophy, Landscape Contractor of the Year with ‘Best Overall Entry’ while also winning the Residential category at the ALCI Awards 2022. The high calibre of the design was also recognised with ÁIT Urbanism + Landscape being awarded ‘Commended Place’ at the ILI Awards 2022.

“Despite this high density, high rise, busy, city centre location, the tree planting and soft work is so good that there is still a strong link back to nature and mother earth….a truly impressive project by SAP Landscapes.”

Gary Graham, ALCI Awards Judge