Having started as a small family practice in Sligo in the 1980s, Vincent Hannon Architects moved to Galway around ten years ago before expanding into Dublin. As it has grown, so has its reputation, as was further underlined when it was recently shortlisted at the Irish Construction Excellence Awards for its work at Gort Na gCloch (formerly St Joseph’s School) in Clifden, County Galway.
“We’re very proud to have been named finalist at the ICE Awards,” says Eimear Hanly, Operations Director. “We’ve also recently been named finalists for the same project at the IBDA and BAYA awards.
“For VHA, it’s recognition of the quality of work we’re producing. As a public works project, we’re particularly proud of what this development has achieved.”
Steeped in a rich history and yet carrying a burden of a sensitive and disquieting past, St Joseph’s was a former Mercy Convent orphanage and later an Industrial School and laundry dating back to 1862. VHA provided full architectural and conservation architecture services, acting as Design Team Lead, PSDP and Employers Representative for the client Galway County Council (GCC).
“When we got involved in this project, the site was completely overgrown, with two buildings that had been derelict for quite some time and had fallen into a very bad state of repair,” adds Eimear. “Bringing two important Protected Structures back to life has been extremely rewarding.”
As for the reasons behind the success of the project, Eimear believes that customer service has been key. “We pride ourselves on our customer service. We’ve been dedicated to the project from the start. It’s a very interesting project and we were committed to producing an excellent outcome for Galway County Council. It showcases both our in-house design quality and conservation expertise perfectly.”
These qualities are sure to serve VHA well on the other projects it takes on in the months and years ahead too.