The project consisted of a two-story extension over the existing three-story Guinness Enterprise Centre (GEC) building. The existing GEC building is a brick warehouse constructed in the 1950's with a façade that is considered 'of interest'. The contract works included a refurbishment and cleaning of the existing façade. The interaction between the new structure and the existing was a key consideration and the contractor was required to work closely with the conservation architects on the project.
The extension consisted of a structural steel structure bearing on the existing structure and wrapped in a curtain wall and rainscreen cladding façade. The load transfer of the new structure to the existing was a key consideration and involved significant structural design development involving the main contractor.
The internal finishes of the project consisted of a full Cat-A fitout and a turn key delivery to the client. The high-level architectural finishes included bespoke joinery units in the meeting room and conference rooms. BIM level 2 was used in the Guinness Enterprise Centre project to establish clear coordination from Design through to Construction using clash adjudication on the Project CDE while also delivering Facility management, Quantification (5D) and Safety planning in accordance with ISO 19650 and PAS 1192.
The GEC is located in a busy city-centre environment in the heart of The Liberties. The logistics of constructing a two-storey extension over an existing building were extremely challenging and required intricate planning from the contractor. Flynn implemented a 'Just in Time' delivery procedure on the project to ensure a smooth movement of vehicles in and out of the project.
The building is located in a densely populated residential area. The Flynn team was actively involved in engaging with the local residents to keep them informed of upcoming construction works and to allay any concerns they had regarding the construction works.
Noise, dust and vibration from the construction works were monitored for the duration of the project. Reports were issued to Dublin City Council (DCC) to illustrate compliance. Flynn also liaised with DCC to organise permits for certain elements of the works.
The extension was constructed while the existing building remained live with up to 300 persons working in the live building at any time. The management of vehicles and pedestrians within the GEC compound itself was a key consideration and required close management by Flynn. Within the GEC building, Flynn liaised with the client and held regular logistics meeting to ensure that construction works were carried out while maintaining the use of the building.
The existing GEC building was most recently refurbished in the late 1990's. As part of the contract works, Flynn were required to upgrade the live safety systems of the existing building and to combine the live safety systems of the existing building with the extension. The mechanical services of the existing building were upgraded and integrated with the extension as part of the contract works also.
