With a wealth of experience behind it, since its creation in 2017 Crawford Architecture has been building its name within the marketplace. This progression was recently underlined when it was nominated for a prestigious Building & Architect of the Year Award within the Housing Project of the Year (Medium) category for its work on The Schoolyard development in Dublin.
“Being nominated was lovely validation of the work we’ve put in,” explains Annabel Gilmartin, Associate. “We’re obviously proud of what we’ve achieved, but it’s great that others recognise it too, particularly as we also received a really positive review from the Dublin Civic Trust as well.”
Located in the heart of Dublin’s North Inner City, The Schoolyard is a contemporary residential development that sits on a prominent corner location between the city’s North Circular Road and Portland Street North.
The predominantly brick-clad building with recessed balconies was designed to sit seamlessly within the historic Georgian streetscape of North Circular Road, whilst addressing the existing Bakers Yard Development.
The apartments are arranged around a generously proportioned courtyard located between the new and existing developments. Stone from the former brewery on the site has been incorporated into the landscape design, which is accessible to all residents.
In addition to the apartments achieving A3 BER rating, the development also incorporates green roofs and incorporates a CHP heating system. The Schoolyard is Ireland’s first LEED Gold-designed residential development, all of which helps showcase Crawford Architecture’s leading approach to sustainability.
“The nice thing about Baker’s Yard was that it was one of the first jobs we took on, so it is very much intwined with the genesis of the practice back in 2017,” adds John Crawford, Director. “We poured our heart and soul into the project, so it has played a huge part in our own development and set the tone for what we’re about as a company.
“We were fortunate that such a major client was willing to give us a chance on such a large building with a substantial budget. We therefore made sure we made the most of the opportunity and went that extra mile on every aspect of the project to the extent that it is a real flagship development for us. Of course there were challenges along the way, especially with the Covid pandemic, but we had a fantastic relationship with the contractor that helped to overcome any issues as and when they occurred.”
By hitting the ground running with such a notable project, Crawford Architecture has since been able to secure further contracts with the client, further enhancing its reputation in the process. The design-led practice is now working on a diverse range of projects throughout Ireland from its offices in Sligo, Cork, and Dublin. Its experienced team of architects and architectural technologists have particular experience within the residential and commercial sectors, with its current workload including projects of varying typology and scale from strategic planning and feasibility to detail design and construction.
The aim now for Crawford Architecture is to build further on the significant inroads it has made into the marketplace. Given the progress it has made already, the signs are that the company will receive further award recognition in the years ahead, as it continues to develop its reputation.