Opus Building

McCauley Daye O'Connell Architects

Short description

Set within Dublin’s rejuvenated docklands, Opus Building is a maritime-inspired residential development providing high quality apartments. Following a design process that balanced private, communal, and public functions, the scheme forms visual and physical connections between inside and outside, be it through floor-to-ceiling apartment glazing, landscaped communal roof-gardens, or sheltered public dining areas along the street. Set around a European style landscaped courtyard, Opus breaks the stereotype of urban living by becoming an exemplary study in innovative, environmental design, and an exemplary urban addition to the neighbourhood and city.

The design of the Opus Building strategically blends private, communal, and public space. The scheme’s four blocks are arranged around a communal central courtyard, which distributes the residents to their apartment core via a striking concierge to the south-east corner. At street level, the own-door duplex apartments include railed private landscaped terraces to both soften the street frontage, and enhance the residential quality.

The people-focused design approach has also encompassed several environmental considerations. The concrete floors above ground level consist of post-tensioned slabs, which reduces the use of reinforced concrete by 20%. The design also facilitated significant off-site construction, such as prefabricated stair cores, pre-cast columns, and prefabricated production of the scheme’s signature black polished curved bands, all contributing to a more environmentally-conscious manufacturing process.

Taken in its entirety, the scheme represents a positive vision for city-centre living, where demands for urban housing are met through an architecture that responds proactively to its context. In contrast to its rectangular, restrained neighbours, the Opus Building strikes an active tone throughout, be it through its curvilinear expression, transparency to the street, or generous, green residential amenities. By combining this benchmark for urban living with attention to innovation and the environment, Opus offers an exemplary addition to a new Hanover Quay, and a new Dublin.