1999 – No.1 Castle Street, Dublin

A long missing corner building was cleverly reinstated using an existing and uninspiring building sited along Werburgh Street. The architects used brick to wrap a new addition around the concrete structures stepping it down to connect the differing heights of Castle Street and Werburgh Street. The top most prominent part of the corner contains a stunning two storey room with mezzanine and an amazing view of Christ Church Cathedral.

According to Shane O’Toole, the brickwork is groundbreaking: “Given the predominance of brick cladding in Ireland, it is surprising how few contemporary Irish architects have sought to push this basic material beyond the ubiquitous stretcher bond, where full-length standard bricks are simply staggered in alternate courses – a sort of brickwork as wallpaper. At Castle Street, John Meagher has employed a rarely used “monk” bond – a repeating pattern of two full-length stretchers and one short header brick – the bond used by Alvar Aalto at the universities of Jyväskylä and Otaniemi.”

Share!

More!