This stunning office building is the latest addition to Dundalk’s 36-hectare flagship business and technology facility, Finnabair Industrial Park. With excellent transportation links provided by the nearby M1 motorway, the park is located equidistant from Dublin and Belfast.
Finnabair Industrial Park was established by the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) to provide a dedicated location for the development of new industry in the region. The IDA is the public authority charged with attracting international business investment into Ireland.
Waterman Moylan was appointed to provide civil, traffic and structural engineering services for scheme. Our specialists worked closely with the design team to deliver the 3,150 sqm, two-storey Advance Technology Building which provides a modern, high-quality facility for IDA client firms wishing to establish a presence in the north-east of the country.
Occupying a 1.7hectare site within the heart of the park, the building is punctuated externally by large, glazed panels set in a cream brick panel façade. Accessed via a generous double-height entrance foyer, the open plan, 50 m x 30 m footprint offers highly flexible space suitable for multiple tenancies. Natural light has been maximised throughout by incorporating a raised roof section and an open stairwell between the ground and first floor. In combination with extensive side glazing and rooflights, this unique design delivered bright and spacious accommodation across each of the office floors.
Our team provided the structural design, detailing and works monitoring on site, including certifying the structural works in accordance with Building Control requirements. The building’s reinforced concrete structure incorporates columns located around the perimeters and internally. In addition, a perimeter ring beam was adopted at first floor and roof levels to provide the vertical load transfer required both to realise the offset glazed panel design developed by the architect and to support roof cantilevers at either end of the building.
Car parking for 150 vehicles is provided on site, together with a number of dedicated disabled parking spaces close to the building entrance, whilst covered bicycle storage has also been included. A Workplace Travel Plan prioritising active travel and low-carbon transportation was prepared by our traffic engineers for implementation by the building management team.
Our engineers were also responsible for the development’s surface water management, seeing us carry out a flood risk assessment, overland flood route planning and design for the surface water drainage in accordance with SUDS guidelines. Our design incorporated rainwater harvesting and swales, together with a retention basin with flow control at the outfall to the surface water drainage network. The retention basin is designed with a storage capacity of 400 cubic metres, which is sized to cater for the 100-year return period storm, including allowance for climate change effects.
Construction of the development was undertaken by Felix O Hare Contractors, with commencement of the work in 2018 and completion in 2019.
Client: IDA Ireland
Architect: van Dijk Architects
