We are pleased to announce the Hardiman Research Building at the National University of Ireland, Galway received the Architectural Project of the Year in the 2014 Irish Building & Design Awards. Two PAYETTE projects at the National University of Ireland, Galway were honored as finalists in the category. Both the Science Research Building and the Hardiman Research Building were acknowledged alongside three other projects.
The 2014 Irish Building & Design Awards celebrated Ireland’s top architects, designers, engineers, building contractors and manufacturers. This year marked the fourth annual celebration and honored buildings in 17 categories. These awards aim to promote the best in the industry in Ireland and members of RIBA, SEAI, IHBA and many other professional organizations judge the entries.
About the winning project (Hardiman Research Building)
The new research library is joined to the existing Hardimann Library, a protected structure built in 1978, by a three story atrium space which provides connections between the two buildings at podium, first, and second levels. Although the two structures are connected at all levels, the architectural character of the existing structure is maintained and enhanced by a delicate adjacency strategy that includes minimum contact, maximum visibility and selective environmental improvements.
The new building is also designed with a strong sustainable agenda, including raised floors for displacement ventilation throughout most of the spaces, natural ventilation in the atrium for energy savings and smoke evacuation, a footprint that maximizes natural light, and facades that have been site-specifically designed to allow for maximum daylight penetration and views with a minimum of solar gain. The west elevation features a cutting-edge unitized two story, triple layer cavity wall, with integrated automated solar and glare control shades.
PAYETTE, along with Reddy Architecture and Urbanism, designed a group of buildings for the University and the two honored by the Irish Building & Design Awards opened earlier this year.
Hardiman Research Building
Science Research Building
Science Research Building, transparent labs
