Established in 1939, Rhatigan Architects is a design-driven practice, specialising in workspace, residential, healthcare and education buildings. Building Ireland spoke with Director Gavin Phelan to find out all about the company and its recent success at the RIAI Architecture Awards.
More than 80 years in business and the projects keep coming thick and fast for Rhatigan Architects. Recognised as Connacht’s first architectural practice, Rhatigan Architects have developed a reputation throughout the decades for carrying out excellent work from their headquarters in Sligo.
Building Ireland touched base with Gavin Phelan, one of three directors at Rhatigan Architects, to learn more about the company, from its recent double success at the RIAI Architecture Awards to the overall state of business for the firm.
“Right now, there’s 22 staff here and that would be a mix of architects, technologists and office management personnel,” outlined Gavin, who joined the company in 2011 after graduating from TU Dublin School of Architecture. “Trevor James and Ian Pudney are the other two co-directors in the company.”
Today, Rhatigan Architects provide quality design and deliver robust buildings for its clients, which they work closely with to deliver beautiful, efficient, sustainable buildings and settings, emphasising daylight, natural ventilation, renewable energy and materials.
The team has always endeavoured to bring these to the client and continue to do so, even in these unprecedented times.
The Covid-19 pandemic, and the government lockdowns which followed in order to combat the spread of virus, impacted the majority of businesses throughout Ireland and Rhatigan Architects were no different.
The company had to adapt to the situation last year and, right now, they’re as busy as ever.
“We’re very busy at the moment,” said Gavin. “We’ve a wide and diverse range of projects currently on-going.
“Of course, work methods have now changed and it sees the vast majority of our staff working from home. We have people around the country working from home at the minute due to the restrictions that have been brought in, but in general we feel that we’ve been able to adapt our work methods quite well.”
In recent years, Rhatigan Architects has adopted Building Information Modelling (BIM) as the key design tool on all of its projects and remains a market leader in its use, with a wealth of knowledge and practical skill to leverage this process and deliver the benefits to clients on projects.
A large portion of the company’s on-going projects at the minute see them immersed in the healthcare sector, where they boast a strong portfolio.
“We’ve two projects currently on site in Merlin Park University Hospital Galway and multiple others on the go in The Coombe Hospital in Dublin, one of which is currently under construction and will serve as the national base for training, education and research purposes for the Cervical Check screening programme,” said Gavin.
“We have a lot of healthcare projects on at the moment, with notable works on site including an 80 bed Community Nursing Unit on the site of a protected structure in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, and a rooftop extension to ICU facilities in Sligo University Hospital. We also have multiple social housing projects being concurrently delivered across sites in Kildare, Roscommon, Clare and Galway which are all nearing completion.”
So, what is it about Rhatigan Architects that has its clients choosing them first ahead of other competitors out there?
According to Gavin, reputation goes a long way in this game along with the ability to carry out projects to a tee through every sector.
“We have quite a diverse team and that allows us to deliver across all sectors,” he said.
“The company is established since 1939 and, in that time, it has obviously built up a large portfolio and its name is renowned at this stage.
“Past projects will always inform future clients.”
Recently, one of those ‘past projects’ for the company earned a double success at the 2021 Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) Awards.
Rhatigan Architects was recognised for its renovation and retention of the original Garda Station building in Donegal Town in both the Cultural/Public Buildings and the Sustainability categories.
Clients on the project were An Garda Síochána and OPW and, having first “come to light” in 2013, work on the project was completed at the beginning of this year.
Speaking on the double award success on behalf of the company, Gavin described it as being “fantastic recognition” for Rhatigan Architects.
“Getting the news from the RIAI was fantastic for the practice,” said the Director.
“The RIAI Awards are held in such high esteem and to win not just one award but two was fantastic recognition.
“The existing Garda Station in Donegal Town dated from the early 20th century and needed renovation. Our design respects the original structure whilst adding an innovative and contemporary extension to the rear that is quite transparent to the public.
“We’re delighted with how it turned out and to receive the RIAI awards has really topped it off.”
No doubt the awards and recognition will keep on coming for this design-driven and diverse practice for many years to come.
Looking towards the coming months, Gavin says the team are keen for more of the same with regards to the current rate of work and hopes that employees will be able to return to the workplace soon.
“Thankfully, work-wise, we’ve been very busy and I think everyone in the office would be delighted to get back into the office environment again. I suppose it just helps the work process and facilitates a more collaborative working environment where you can bounce ideas off one another,” he said.
“We will continue to deliver projects to the highest possible standard for what are a diverse range of public and private sector clients.”
Here’s hoping.
Rhatigan Architects
City Gate,
Sligo
F91TX2D
Tel: +353 (0) 71 914 2213
E-mail: [email protected]
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, December 2021, Vol 7 No 12
