Brewhouse & Public Realm, Kilkenny

This project involves the refurbishment of the Brewhouse building at St. Francis Abbey Brewery, Kilkenny City. The building which had been developed in a number of stages since the 1950’s is a mix of different construction forms including concrete frame and slab and steel frame and metal deck. The building and surroundings are being upgraded and refurbished to provide for a modern high end office development. The building is being refurbished as the anchor building for the Abbey Creative Quarter in Kilkenny.

The Abbey Creative Quarter is being developed on the site of the former Smithwicks Brewery in the city. The site which houses St. Francis Abbey which is a National Monument has archaeological constraints as well as historic contamination issues. The project involves a new public realm at Berkeley Square and environmental improvements along Horse Barrack Lane as part of the masterplan for the 18 acre site in the centre of Kilkenny City. The site is located adjacent to the river Nore SAC/SPA and environmental constraints are a feature of the design of the project. The existence of a number of protected structures on site also has an impact on the development of this portion of the masterplan site.