Stewart Construction were the winning recipients of the ‘Conservation Project of the Year’ and the ‘Education Project of the Year’ awards for the elegantly reimagined Goethe-Institut in Merrion Square in Dublin.
The annual Irish Construction Industry awards which were held on Thursday, June 13th at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin and attended by over 700 people. The awards are now an established platform for recognising and rewarding companies and their teams who strive for excellence within the construction industry in Ireland.
Stewart Construction’s Business Development Director, Rachael Stewart said “…the ICI Awards is an opportunity to celebrate high standards of construction in Ireland. Building since 1902, we are extremely proud of receiving these two awards for the Goethe-Institut project which sets a new benchmark for both the conservation and reimagining of Georgian Dublin.
Designed by Henchion Reuter Architects, and commissioned by the German foreign office, the redevelopment of the Goethe Institut’s Irish Headquarters on Merrion Square in Dublin city centre saw the Protected 1790 Georgian townhouse refurbished to its period glory and in addition, a new garden and contemporary mews building was constructed to the rear of the site. These new structures replace the original long-lost structures in a contemporary tribute to their Georgian predecessors. Significant work and considerations took place to maintain all Georgian details and character while also vastly improving the services, sustainability, and energy efficiency of the site.
The Goethe-Institut is the Federal Republic of Germany’s cultural institute, active worldwide in promoting the study of German abroad and encouraging international cultural exchange. The Merrion Square project represents a wonderful merging of old and new, just as it represents the merging of Irish and German culture and history. Speaking about the project, architect Martin Henchion said…
“In addition to the stunning conservation and restoration work…the development of the entirely new mews building is an excellent re-imagining of the Georgian site. We have created a beautiful and fit-for-purpose new home and garden for all of the work that the Goethe-Institut do, and have been able to incorporate previously unfeasible contemporary features, such as wheelchair access through much of the original Georgian building and an A Building Energy Rating.”
Having also recently received a prestigious RIAI award under the category ‘Adaptation and Reuse’, the Goethe-Institut project sets a new benchmark for Georgian Dublin and is a shining example of what can be achieved through a combination of the right investment, strong design and quality construction.