KILKENNY COURTHOUSE, KILKENNY, IRELAND
(Completed as a Resident Engineer while working with Thomas Garland & Partners & The Office of Public Works)

The project consisted of a major refurbishment and extension to the existing Court Building which was originally constructed in 1792. A substantial 5-storey extension was constructed to the rear of the existing protected structure and is connected by a spectacular glazed atrium.

The structure for the extension consisted of CFA piled foundations with a series of reinforced concrete ground beams to support the structural steel frame and precast concrete floor slabs. Reinforced concrete lift/stair cores were used for stability purposes and a curtain walling, planar glazing, masonry and other architectural features formed the external envelope.

Conservation engineering solutions were required for the restoration of the dilapidated sections of the existing building such as the brick piers and arches which had to be strengthened along with the underground masonry barrel vaults.

Our role on-site was that of Resident Engineer and our duties included the following;

• Attendance at site, project & design team meetings.
• Liasing with other professionals on issues associated with the design / construction of the building.
• Undertaking daily and weekly reports on Civil & Structural activities on site.
• Reviewing Civil & Structural drawings / documents in order to ensure compliance with finished product.
• Monitoring of Civil & Structural works to ensure quality in the finished structure and progress on-site.
• Checking contractor’s setting out / measurement of works carried out.
• Carrying out Civil & Structural design activities when required on-site.

BISHOPS PALACE, WATERFORD, IRELAND
(Completed as a Design Engineer while working with Thomas Garland & Partners)

Bishop’s Palace was designed and built in 1741 by the famous Richard Castle, on the site of the medieval palace and was the home of the Church of Ireland bishops of Waterford and Lismore until the early 20th century. It then became a boys school, and subsequently council offices. A complete restoration was commissioned to re-present the building as a museum.

The original plan layout of the building was reinstated through the removal of the modern partitions and interventions to the building. Due to the increased floor loading requirement for a museum, strengthening works were required along with remedial works to the timber floor joists. Remedial works design were required for timber lintels and sections of brick walls which required crack stitching with tying. Our involvement in this project included a new foul and surface water drainage design and structural design of the remedial works.