Wexford County Council Headquarters
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Andrew Lee (website) Download Original
Council office, divided into six self contained buildings arranged around a central civic forum, as part of the service campus for 3000 people
Wrapped around the perimeter an insulating double-skin facade extends a metre above the parapet to reveal six stone monoliths – the individual departments. The low horizontal form rises in parts from a two-storey datum to five stories at the entrance.
The entrance in the north-east corner consists of a double-height lobby with narrow framed glass doors supported on umber anodised frames that leads to the 85-metre long, 6.3-metre high foyer. Offset around this spine are the size two-storey self-contained buildings, each housing one of the six departments and two public staircases.
The roof is clamped shut by a heavy concrete slab that darkens and compresses the space. Cast into the roof on its south side is a pair of narrow rooflights, which illuminate the main reception desk.
Blue Kilkenny limestone is used for the floor and external walls of each building. Elsewhere, the soffit is pale-grey exposed concrete. The six reception areas, located in each block’s corner, and the two public stairs are made of oak planks. The timber is inset with full-height glass windows held in polished stainless steel frames.
Data
- Begun: Feb 2008
- Completed: Jul 2011
- Floor area: 11,500m2
- Sector: Office
- Total cost: £36M
- Procurement: GDLA82 (with quantities)
- Address: Carricklawn, Wexford, United Kingdom
Professional Team 
- Architect: Robin Lee Architecture
- Client: Wexford County Council
- Executive architect: Arthur Gibney and Partners
- Main contractor: Piers contracting
- Main contractor: Wexford County Council
- Structural engineer: Buro Happold
- Services engineer: Buro Happold
- Quantity surveyor: Mulcahy McDonagh and Partners
- Landscape architect: Mitchell and Associates
- Lighting consultant: Buro Happold
- Audiovisual consultant: Buro Happold
- Accessibility consultant: Buro Happold
- Security consultant: Buro Happold