There was major recognition for Vincent Hannon Architects (VHA) recently when the practice, which has offices in Sligo, Galway and Dublin, was shortlisted for four coveted awards for its key role in transforming a disused convent school and laundry into social housing in Clifden, Co. Galway.
VHA was delighted to be a finalist at the Irish Building Design Awards (IBDA) in the ‘Heritage / Conservation Project of the Year’ and ‘Public Sector – Residential / Housing Project of the Year’ categories, the Irish Construction Excellence (ICE) Awards in the ‘Architectural Design Excellence Up to €10m’ category and the Building & Architect of the Year Awards (BAYA) in the ‘Housing Project of the Year’ section for Gort na gCloch, which consisted of 26 units (18 houses and eight apartments) and wasn’t your typical social housing project.
VHA collaborated on the project with Tobin Consulting Engineers (C&S Engineer), Tom McNamara & Partners (Quantity Surveyor), Coffey Consulting Engineering (M&E), John Greene (Conservation Grade 1) and Carey’s Building Contractors (Main Contractors).
Steeped in a rich history and yet carrying a burden of a sensitive and disquieting past, St. Joseph’s in Clifden was a former Mercy Convent orphanage and later an Industrial School & Laundry dating back to 1862. Being a prominent landmark in the Connemara capital, VHA believed that this project represented an opportunity to change the focus of this, at times, unsettling history to one of comfort and protection for the people of the town.
For this project, VHA provided full architectural and conservation architecture services, and acted as Design Team Lead and Employers Representative for their client Galway County Council. The two disused and dilapidated, but historically significant buildings together with their associated lands have been brought back into use, providing them with a function and future in 26 new homes, which will ensure their long-term survival. It is widely considered that the project is a very positive contribution to the architectural heritage of Clifden and Galway.
“We’re very pleased with the finished project,” VHA Operations Director and Senior Architect Eimear Hanly says.
“The award nominations reflect very favourably on our team. We were delighted to collaborate with Galway County Council and the other stakeholders in a project that has changed the focus of the site to something more positive and is a place that its residents are proud to call home.
“The two existing protected structures were in very poor repair and required significant conservation works. The site was completely overgrown and was situated on a slope. It provided many challenges, all of which were successfully overcome.”
The 0.59-hectare site contained a former school building known as St Joseph’s Convent School and a former laundry building. While zoned residential, it is surrounded by community facilities, with Clifden Fire Station to the south, Scoil Mhuire National School to the north and St Joseph’s Convent and Clúid Housing Association located on adjacent lands to the west. The site is also located adjacent to the Elm House (HSE Mental Health Service) and Connemara Sheltered Housing, two key stakeholders that needed to be included within the project to incorporate them as end-users.
While the original two-storey orphanage building was constructed in 1862, various additions were made to it over the years and the orphanage was certified as an industrial school for girls on July 15 1872. Further additions were added over the years and the buildings continued to be occupied as a school up until 1984 when it was eventually closed.
Similar to many areas throughout Ireland, Clifden has seen its population grow over the last number of years and as a result, the provision of increased housing is vital for the area. It was considered by Galway County Council that this site, which has been largely unutilised in recent years, would be of benefit in the creation of a new housing scheme which would ultimately provide a mix of units to suit a variety of different occupiers.
The initial brief was for the retention of the school building alone and the addition of 19 new build homes, giving a total of 23 units. However, following careful research, it was established by an NBA Report that the laundry was built as part of the initial construction. Therefore, following consultation with Galway County Council’s Heritage Officer and the DOEHLG, it was decided that the laundry building be retained and refurbished along with the original school building.
In recognition of the historic nature of the site and quality of the existing protected buildings, a carefully considered and high-quality response was required to the client’s brief, that was respectful of the past but also changed the buildings’ sense of purpose. It was agreed that the new additions to the buildings would be reflective of their time and create a modern comfortable environment for the new residents.
Efficient design of the remaining lands within the site provided for the delivery of 26 homes with the potential to accommodate a diverse range of end users.
As this was a combined refurbishment / conservation and new build housing project, a carefully considered design approach was vital. Two different but complementary design approaches were required for the treatment of the new houses versus the existing protected buildings which were to be converted to apartments.
The elevational treatments are a reflection of, and contribution towards the aspiration that new urban buildings should display a high standard of civic design. While the treatment of the existing buildings themselves had to be sympathetic and in keeping with their time, the extensions to the existing buildings provide an appropriate contemporary design, incorporating materials and finishes to enhance the internal streetscape and act as an attractive foil to the conserved buildings. The new additions are treated with a contemporary architectural response to distinguish them from the true original buildings.
The initial programme for the project was based on the original brief, which was expanded with the addition of the refurbishment of the laundry building. Initially envisaged to be a 12-month build, the construction period was extended to 18 months at tender stage with a start date of October 7 2020. The impacts of the Covid 19 epidemic were soon felt with the shutdown of all construction activity the following January. Further challenges ensued when the condition of the existing buildings and unforeseen site conditions meant the scope had to be extended with resulting impacts on the project programme.
Given the complexities of the refurbishment works to the existing buildings, it was decided to phase the project so that the new build houses could be handed over in advance of the apartments. Substantial completion of the 18 houses was issued on May 10 2023 followed by the handing over of the apartment buildings in November 2023. The project value was €6.5 million.
Founded in Sligo in 1986 by Vincent Hannon, VHA is now run by his son Paul along with a 50-strong multi-disciplinary team who offer an end-to-end service, from concept design to onsite build and everything in between. From commercial to residential, healthcare, education, hospitality and leisure, conservation, data centres, pharmaceutical and other sectors, VHA’s team of architects, urban designers, master-planners, architectural technicians, BIM coordinators as well as consultation and engagement facilitators and administrative staff work as a unit to bring innovation and energy to all project stages.
The practice’s purpose is to design sustainable places for people that enrich daily lives and enable communities where work, learning, living, growing and life happens. VHA has expanded in recent years with the opening of its Galway office in 2015 and Dublin office in 2022 following the acquisition of Meehan Architects, all of which has given it a nationwide reach.
“We’re very lucky to have such an experienced team with different skill sets,” Eimear explains.
“As a nationwide practice, we offer the full range of architectural services, including LEED consultancy services, inhouse urban design and master-planning. It’s our design philosophy and work ethic that sets us apart and this is evident in some of the other award-winning and landmark projects we have worked on to date, including the conversion of the Clarence Hotel and Nightclub in Sligo which is now home to the Sligo Credit Union.
“Another iconic commercial project known as Embankment received great acclaim. We were also previously shortlisted for a housing regeneration project in Tuam known as Gilmartin Road. In the sporting realm, we were tasked with designing a Centre of Excellence for Sligo GAA which has been dubbed by County Boards and indeed Croke Park as ‘exemplar’, and we are very excited to be involved in the delivery of the stadium upgrades and new High Performance Unit for Connacht Rugby.
“We’re also currently working on a new innovation centre in Letterkenny for Donegal County Council and on a number of projects for the OPW and Údarás na Gaeltachta in Galway. We’ve just finished a refurbishment and extension for a pharmaceutical company in the West of Ireland and have been appointed to a building fabric upgrades project for DCU in Glasnevin and Drumcondra.
“We aspire towards excellence within all of our projects and recognise that each project we are tasked with should be designed sustainably, innovatively and with the end user and clients wishes in mind. We look forward to working together with new and existing clients to bring design excellence to all corners of Ireland.”
Vincent Hannon Architects (VHA)
Second Floor, Hanson Building, Doorly Park Road, Sligo, F91 P7N2.
Telephone: 071 91 50022
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.vha.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, August 2024, Vol 10 No 8
