Lynch's Street, Health Clinic

2013 | Out-patient Clinic for Mercy University Hospital

In Jack Coughlan Architects, Shea Hartigan designed a new out-patients clinic in an existing site which consisted of a variety of divided floor planes built originally for different uses over the 16,900 square foot. Change of use and alterations of existing premises from leisure complex to create the Outpatients Clinic. This project was located in Hammond’s marsh, part of the historic central island of Cork City. It fronted Lynch’s, Wood, and Sheares streets. The development consisted of a collection of buildings which formed an L-shaped site that wrapped around neighbouring buildings.  A large barrel roof structure which had originally been a dance hall stretched across the city block and connected the other buildings. Within the block, this structure had little natural light. Design challenges included accommodating an extensive design brief within the constraints of this inner city site in a manner which provided a sensible segregation of public and private functions. Designing a building which performed as one although made of many was also a particular challenge in this scheme. The design proposed aimed to create a new ‘street’ through the urban block which connected Lynch’s and Wood streets and allowed for visual connection to the outside from the waiting areas within the urban block. Public waiting areas were located within the larger volumes of the former dance hall, while service areas and clinics were accommodated within the smaller volumes of the adjacent buildings.  A new open stair was proposed in the centre of the block to allow for a wash of natural light to penetrate the ground floor at the furthest point from any windows. The proposal also included a new lift to the top floor of one of the taller buildings and a small extension for utilities.