New Build
Liberty Lane, Dublin, Ireland
Project Brief
LSY Engineering Consultants Ltd was appointed to lead the structural engineering design for Liberty Lane, a £1 million mixed-use development in the heart of Dublin. The project comprised a three-storey building providing a combination of retail, commercial, and residential accommodation within a highly constrained city-centre location.
Our appointment covered the full structural design process, from the initial planning stages through to the delivery of a BIM Level 2-compliant detailed design package.
Challenges
Situated within Dublin’s busy city centre, the site was surrounded by existing commercial and residential properties and could only be accessed via a narrow entrance route. These restrictions created significant logistical challenges for the delivery, storage, and installation of construction materials.
Given the proximity of neighbouring occupied properties, it was essential that construction activities were carried out efficiently to minimise disruption to local businesses and residents while maintaining programme certainty.
A further challenge emerged during the design process when ground investigations revealed that the site was underlain by made ground, requiring a reassessment of the client’s proposed foundation strategy.
Process
Following a review of the client’s original proposal for a cast in-situ reinforced concrete frame, LSY undertook a value engineering exercise to identify a more efficient structural solution. A structural steel frame was selected as the preferred alternative due to its reduced construction programme, lighter weight, and suitability for the site’s access constraints. This approach also aligned well with the client’s expertise in steel fabrication, creating additional opportunities to streamline construction and reduce overall project costs.
To further improve constructability, the steel frame was designed using beams and columns with spliced connections, allowing structural elements to be transported, handled, and installed more efficiently within the restricted site environment. To enhance the building’s architectural appearance, LSY incorporated strategically positioned cross bracing concealed within the external masonry walls. This provided the required structural stability while maintaining clean external elevations and maximising usable internal space.
As the design progressed, a ground investigation confirmed the presence of made ground across the site. Based on these findings, the originally proposed raft foundation was replaced with a piled raft solution to provide a more robust and reliable foundation system.
In addition to meeting the immediate project requirements, LSY designed the foundation and superstructure with future expansion in mind.
The piles were designed to accommodate increased loading capacity, while the upper-level columns were detailed to facilitate future splice connections. This forward-thinking approach enabled the client to add an additional storey at a later date without significant structural alterations.
Outcome
The project was successfully delivered in accordance with the client’s brief, creating a high-quality mixed-use development comprising retail, commercial, and residential accommodation.
The decision to adopt a steel frame significantly accelerated the construction programme, reduced site logistics challenges, and enabled the client to utilise their in-house fabrication expertise, generating considerable time and cost savings.
Most notably, the enhanced foundation and structural design strategy provided the flexibility for future expansion. Following completion of the initial development, the client successfully constructed an additional 80m² penthouse apartment on a new fourth floor, substantially increasing the value of the property and maximising the return on investment.
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