Windmill Lane Apartments

Concept, Planning, Tender and Construction stages- Project Architect

Windmill Lane Model copy

Windmill lane

Windmill Lane apartments

Windmill Lane Model copy
Windmill lane
Windmill Lane apartments

CONTEXT 

The site is located in Dublin’s Docklands around the corner form the iconic U2 recording studios and graffitti walls. The brief called for 106 x 2 and 3 bedroom apartments , street architecture with commercial to the quayfront , varying in size from 4, 5, and six storeys.

Dublin’s Docklands in 1997 were beginning to change and the architectural character of the docklands becoming more international style.

DESIGN CHALLENGES 

  • Apartments at street level 
  • Desire for natural ventilation in each apartment
  • Desire for to achieve sociability on each landing
  • Underground carpark with structural plinth and apartment blocks over.

DESIGN RESPONSE 

  • We picked up on the gable fronted Mill type buildings in the area using modelled brick facades to create privacy at ground floor street level and depth to elevational treatments. 
  • Apartments  to 4 storey streets were treated as small townhouses with access via landings on each level and no lifts( reserved for higher corner building)
  • Internally , the columns in basement supporting the apartments above were used to concentrate heavier landscape features .

ROLE

Project Architect with Fionnuala Rogerson Architects