City Quay, Waterford, Ireland

Iconic Waterford Site will benefit from the revamp
London based m3 architects, working in partnership with CDA Architects of Cork, submitted designs for detailed planning approval for the re-development of the 22 acre Ard Ri site in Waterford city, Ireland. m3 architects concepts were founded upon an earlier masterplanning exercise undertaken by Urban Initiatives, also based in London.

Renamed ‘City Quay’, the scheme is proposed for the most prominent location in Waterford City, having been described as the best site in Ireland, overlooking the former port, straddling the border of Waterford and Kilkenny counties.

The site will feature a new high quality hotel with leisure and conference facilities and upwards of 400,000 sq ft of retail and commercial space. Nearly 600 residences of varying types are proposed along with a cultural space featuring a roof top promontory.

m3 architects partner Ken Hutt outlined the practice’s design approach in creating what is in effect a new urban district within the city boundaries: “m3 architects’ concepts, which reflect the richness and diversity of the existing city centre and streetscape, will create a dynamic and vibrant community on the City Quay site. Unique, dramatic and individualistic buildings will accommodate a mix of commercial, social, cultural and residential buildings, combining to create a robust and sustainable developement that will act as a catalyst for the continued and measured growth of the city for many decades to come.”

Speaking at the launch of the project, City Quay developer Tom Coughlan of TRM developments said that Waterford offers the best potential in Ireland at the moment: “As Ireland enters more challenging economic times, specifically in the construction industry, only projects with excellent potential will succeed. With the support we have received from the City of Waterford for this project, as well as the strength of the local Waterford economy, we are confident that City Quay will help Waterford continue its development as one of Ireland’s leading regional cities.”

The philosophy of the City Quay development is to create a truly sustainable development which is socially just, environmentally responsible and economically viable. This development has been designed to create a good life for those who live there without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same. There will be a conscious drive to enable local businesses and entrepreneurs to establish themselves in the development, helping the growth of indigenous business and making City Quay an integral part of Waterford.

Tom Coughlan pledged that the new 208 bed hotel will be completed by the start of the Tall Ships Race in Waterford in 2011 provided construction gets underway by the start of 2009
source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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