In architecture design, we appreciate the need to establish, clarify, develop and interpret Client requirements through consultation, workshops and discourse. It involves a process of investigation and enquiry and gives a sense of ownership and understanding to the ultimate users of the building. Our design process is more likely to produce a building which corresponds to the actual expectations and operational requirements of the client.

Education Sector:
My educational portfolio includes the following; libraries, lecture halls, IT laboratories, teaching laboratories, auditoria, performance theatres, student union facilities, staff facilitates, innovation centres and master planning.

Since 1998 I have worked on the following campuses; University of Limerick, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, and Mary Immaculate College. In all instances I have been retained for future work and I’m presently working on the Mary Immaculate College campus where we are upgrading a lecture theatre to regional performance theatre standards with Theatreplan Ltd and preparing a new library extension feasibility study.

I believe that designing educational spaces that are conducive to learning not only depends on good architectural design but also on the comfort factor for students and staff alike. I have achieved this by maximising natural light, while minimising glare, maximising natural ventilation, while minimising sick building syndrome. It has been well documented that providing lecture halls, classrooms etc. with ample ventilation and daylight stimulates the occupants, increase their attention span and improve class participation.

The Learning Resource Centre for GMIT has won national awards for design and innovation excellence, and has been published in national and international periodicals


Healthcare Sector
My experience includes Paediatric, Radiology, Oncology, Endoscopy, Operating Theatres, MRI, Pathology Laboratory, CSSD, Physiotherapy, Accident and Emergency, Consultant Clinics, Hospital Wards, Day Clinics, Chapel, and hospital restaurants.

I’m familiar with the Health Technical manual (HTM) and more recently the HAAD guidelines for healthcare projects in Abu Dhabi. In association with HKR architects I was the project architect on the winning team for a new $200m hospital in Abu Dhabi.

I’ve acted as concept architect on a number of healthcare projects in Murray O’Laoire / O’Connell Mahon Architects and took a keen interest in developing healthcare design with a strong emphasis on therapeutic environments. I strongly feel daylight has been undervalued in healthcare facilities and that air conditioning encourages massive building footprints where the emphasis is on clinic planning without due consideration to staff and patients.

Since 2002, I’ve worked on the Bon Secours Healthcare System Group sites in Galway and Cork on projects worth over €100m. The Galway clinic is a good example of my belief put into action where patient and staff are never more than 6-7m away from an external window and all patients and staff spaces have natural light, even operating theatres.

The Bon Secours Hospital in Galway has won national and international awards for design excellence and has been published in national and international periodicals.

Design & Build competitions:
I project managed and acted as lead design architect in a number of design build competitions, winning two and coming second in another. The Department of Defence was my most successful design build project just completed in September 2010. The sustainable ethos of this building was maximised using orientation, insulation, air tightness and good detailing to minimise the energy demands the building will require in the future. From inception the design, detailing, specification and construction methods of each element was reviewed and tested, in partnership with the contractor, to ensure the project would, on completion, be recognised as an exemplar of value added sustainability design. Energy studies of the building, informed by computer modelling, were carried out to optimise the daylight penetration, natural ventilation and thermal performance.