Leading architects involved in North Quays speak on designs
Kevin Doolin, President, Waterford Chamber, Mary Butler, Government Chief Whip & Minister of State at the Department of Health, Hugh Wallace, Douglas Wallace Architects, & Karen Dollery, General Manager, Viking Hotel Waterford at the launch of the hotel's new superior rooms last week, at which Mr Wallace was special guest. Photo: Garrett FitzGerald
The well-known architect, involved in Waterford's North Quays regeneration project, described the progressive project as "inspirational" and "leading the way".
Speaking with the Waterford News & Star last week, was celebrity architect Hugh Wallace of Douglas Wallace Consultants, who is familiar to the Irish public as presenter of RTÉ's Great House Revival and Home of the Year.
Mr Wallace said that the North Quays development has been progressing well since planning permission was granted to Harcourt Developments earlier this year.
“I love working on it!” he said.
"It’s very rare as an architect you get the opportunity to work on such a huge scheme. Working with Harcourt Developments has been really good because they want this to work and they have the experience of doing it.”
Mr Wallace also said that working with Waterford City and County Council on the project has been “inspirational”.
“They are so progressive. Out of any of the counties in Ireland, Waterford and Limerick are leading the way in terms of regeneration.
He said that connectivity was central to the architectural designs for the development.
“I think Waterford unfortunately has grown to the south of the river and there’s a gap to the north.
“By the movement of the train station and the bus station further along, the pedestrian link, the bicycle-way, all of a sudden you have that connectivity."
He added that the river also played an important role in forming designs.
“It will have an amazing boardwalk on the north of the river, which means the river will be there with you. You’ll have bars and restaurants there, not lots, but we’ve been very conscious of creating areas that are away from the wind that you can sit out and enjoy.
“The river is amazing but at the moment you can’t get to it because there’s car parks in the way on the south side. In the development of the north side, the river is fundamentally part of the development because you’ll have a boardwalk with no traffic, you'll have cycleways and indentations to hide away and get into the sunshine."
Meanwhile, the superstructure bridge deck parts of the River Suir Sustainable Transport Bridge were designed by Knight Architects in collaboration with Roughan & O'Donovan and Hardesty & Hanover, who have provided descriptions and accounts of the ongoing development.
Founded in 2006, Knight Architects has delivered more than 70 projects around the world and are known for their bridge projects across Europe.
A press statement from the consultancy last week said that the sustainable transport bridge's "subtle curves and faceted steel superstructure take inspiration from Waterford’s celebrated tradition of crystal glassware, while its twin-leaf bascule span, concealed discreetly within the deck, ensures continued navigability of the river for marine traffic".
“Above each of the feature piers, the bridge deck widens to form generous viewing platforms, furnished with bespoke seating to invite pause and reflection over the Suir and its evolving surroundings.”
Original plans for a shuttle bus link across the bridge have been scrapped, however a Company Director at Harcourt Developments recently said that if demand is high, some form of transport may still be warranted on the bridge.
“The bridge design is also future proofed to facilitate a future electric shuttle bus connecting the north and south quays,” a statement from Knight Architects said.
The firm also designed the new urban realm at the South Plaza landing site, which features an array of surfaces, which help intuitively guide pedestrians and cyclists in the right direction.
Tom Osborne, Director at Knight Architects, said that the bridge's design incorporates the history of Waterford.
“This bridge does far more than connect two sides of a river. It connects the past with the future, catalysing the transformation of Ireland’s oldest city, whilst responding sensitively to its historic cultural and urban context.
"It represents a bold and forward-looking investment in the city's future and will act as a key enabler for the North Quays development, bringing new homes, jobs and cultural offerings to Waterford.
"It’s been a privilege to help shape a structure that so clearly demonstrates the value of sustainable, people-centred infrastructure.”
