Kenny Lyons Associates Architects have earned themselves a reputation as one of the most highly regarded professional architectural firms in the Midlands. As company director, Peter Lyons gave Building Ireland some insight into what they are all about.
In a little over 10 years, Kenny Lyons Associates Architects in Tullamore, Co Offaly have amassed a portfolio of projects that any rival firm in the country would be proud of.
One of the most highly regarded professional architectural firms in the midlands, Kenny Lyons Associates Architects have experience in a variety of areas, not least on commercial, public, education and residential projects.
They produce original, bespoke designs that maximise the use of daylight, energy conservation and modern materials, while recognising the importance of tailoring a project to the client’s budget.
The Practice employs four accredited Conservation Architects and have completed a number of projects in the heritage towns of Birr and Roscrea in addition to Tullamore, Kilbeggan and the surrounding midlands.
Kenny Lyons Associates Architects have extensive experience in a broad range of construction areas and have been in practice in Tullamore since 2005. Previous to that the Practice traded under the name Kenny & Associates.
They guarantee you a professional service and a direct one to one contact with the directors aided by the backup of an experienced and well trained technical team.
The company is headed by Peter Lyons who was good enough to speak with us about some of the company’s past and present projects, while also delving into some of the core values of the business.
“We are based here in Central Business Park in Tullamore and we are in operation as ‘Kenny Lyons Associates Architects’ since 2005. There are 11 staff here at present,” explained Peter.
“Basically, we are a registered architectural practice in Tullamore which specialises largely in educational projects. We are currently working on a number of big educational projects at various stages, along with some smaller school projects. We are also involved in many local sports and community projects.”
One of the most high profile projects to date for Kenny Lyons Associates Architects was the re-development of Offaly GAA’s O’Connor Park stadium in Tullamore, which was completed six years ago. The project involved work on the new 7,000 seat stand, including comfortable accommodation for press staff and radio commentators as well as a wheelchair viewing platform at the upper level. The home of Offaly GAA, the project was a popular one and as a proud Offaly GAA supporter, Peter and his Practice were delighted to be involved. “The first phase of the O’Connor Park project was completed in 2006 and the last phase was completed by 2010, so it was a big project for us and we were delighted to be a part of it.”
Phase two, the north terrace, was completed in 2007 for €1,600,000 and the final phase was completed three years later at a cost of €1,555,000 and included new dressing rooms, TV studio, camera and commentary rooms and a new East Terrace.
Unsurprisingly, the excellent work carried out by Kenny Lyons Associates Architects saw the Practice hired again by Offaly GAA for a project in Kilcormac which broke ground last year, as Peter explained: “We are currently working on another project with Offaly GAA in Kilcormac which we would have started in 2014. It’s a €2 million development that includes four new full-sized pitches, along with the construction of dressing rooms, a gym and player facilities. We are also working with Laois GAA on the new Laois Centre of Excellence.”
He continued: “I think we earn projects like these ones through the proven track record that we have. We delivered the O’Connor Park project on schedule and to the budget, it was a well-designed project and one of many that we are very proud of here.”
Other projects that Peter and his team are proud of include the Tullamore Central Library and Tullamore Credit Union extensions.
Between their work at O’Connor Park and various different government-funded educational projects, Kenny Lyons Associates Architects were able to weather the storm which hit the Irish construction industry hard from 2007 up until recent times.
Peter is happy to report that, as of now, the Practice is experiencing a big upturn in comparison to the immediate years after the company changed its name to Kenny Lyons Associates Architects.
“In 2005 we were still in the boom in this country and we had a couple of very big projects in full flow,” he said.
“The downturn hit a couple of years later, probably around 2007, but we managed to keep the core of our staff thankfully and we are very much looking forward now. We have grown a lot over the last few years and right now we are very busy. There was a little bit of a lull earlier this year when the country had no government in place. That would have affected us as funding for educational projects slowed, but things have picked up again and we are quite busy at the moment.”
One of the company’s most recent projects, the 20 classroom St Mary’s National School in Edgeworthstown, Co Longford, saw Kenny Lyons honoured when the project was shortlisted for the ‘Best Educational Building’ award at the CGM awards.
While educational projects have been the theme for many firms for the better part of a decade now, Peter has seen plenty of evidence of the residential market picking up again. “For the last six or seven years the only construction projects going to site were school projects, but there is more diversity now and we need that,” he stated. “While Dublin is starting to boom again, prices have not yet recovered everywhere and the midlands are still definitely affected even though things are improving. We are starting to see some residential projects spring up again around Tullamore and other provincial towns. We are currently working on an apartment scheme for Tullamore and a number of school projects in various locations. For the second half of 2016 we would hope to see some more viable residential projects.”
Kenny Lyons Associates Architects
Address: Block 6, Central Business Park,
Clonminch, Tullamore, Co. Offaly
Fax: +353 (0) 57 9351345
Phone: +353 (0) 57 9324241
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web: kennylyons.ie
Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, July 2016, Vol 2 No 3
