General Description

The Lark Theatre, Balbriggan, built by Vision Contracting for the Irish Institute of Music and Song, is the new standard for cultural venues in Ireland, balancing artistic excellence with sustainability and historical context. The theatre serves students and local, national and international visitors. It hosts concerts, theatre, cinema and comedy shows for over 200,000 people within a 20 km radius, reducing the need to travel to Dublin.

Vision Contracting’s turnkey development exemplifies collaboration between Client, Contractor, Architect, and Engineers. We assembled a highly motivated team of specialist contractors, designers and tradespeople to deliver this unique building. The project utilised BIM and 3D modelling to address clashes early, achieving exceptional results and keeping stakeholders informed.

The site, a tight, live campus location within a residential and business community, required timed truck movements to minimise disruption. The facility uses renewable energy as much as possible. The Client’s brief was clear that the new Concert Hall was not to increase the IIMS’s carbon footprint. This was achieved through collaborative and innovative design with measures that include advanced lighting control strategies, LED lighting throughout the building, BACS integrated into electrical infrastructure, roof heat pumps, strategically placed heat recovery units and rainwater harvesting.

Designed by Stephen Foley Architects for Michael Dawson and the Irish Institute of Music and Song (IIMS), the state-of-the-art Lark Theatre seamlessly integrates into the historic campus, repurposing and refurbishing a 1960s nursing home on site for backstage facilities, music classrooms, offices, plant and electrical rooms.

The project team had to consider the adjacent historic Bedford House (1750), a Georgian era home, and the Victorian Bedford Hall (1830). These buildings and on-site cottages have served as the town’s nursing home since the 1960s. The theatre is directly connected to Bedford House, which provides guest accommodation. The 400-seat auditorium offers a versatile space for performances ranging from orchestral concerts to intimate solo shows. Its striking design features a pleated concrete and granite facade, harmoniously blending into the campus.

Committed to sustainability, the theatre boasts an A3-BER certification and employs eco-friendly features such as rainwater harvesting, air-to-water heat pumps, and energy-efficient lighting. The project team optimised construction efficiency and minimised waste using BIM, 3D modelling, offsite manufacturing, and Lean principles. As a member of Lean Construction Ireland, Vision Contracting adopted the core principles of Lean Construction and employed them across this project.

‍

CONFIGURATION

• Single-storey basement with secant piling to maximise the footprint

• In-situ insulated concrete for basement and ground-floor slab

• Light gauge steel frame with a combination of metal decking and precast planks from ground to roof

• Façade: 40mm Granite Slabs and Triple Glazing

• Roof: Light gauge steel frame with pitched roof decking and rainwater harvesting drainage system

• Universally accessible, sustainably air-conditioned, 400-seat auditorium with optimised acoustic and lighting functionality

• Foyer, rehearsal rooms, classrooms and natural light-filled circularity spaces

• Bathrooms: unisex, universally accessible toilet facilities with air exchange and heatrecovery units.

‍

Designed for optimal acoustics, it boasts bespoke sound diffusing treatments, a variable acoustic system, and automated controlled lighting. The flexible stage system, including a front-of-stage lift section, enhances performance capabilities and

space.

The A3-rated building incorporates sustainable technologies, minimises environmental impact, and prioritises the use of existing structures. Features include a ventilation system with heat recovery, air source heat pumps with underfloor heating, and rainwater harvesting.

The project utilised offsite manufacturing, BIM, and a focus on waste reduction to enhance efficiency and sustainability.

Architect Stephen Foley’s design breaks up the theatre’s 21x21x12 metre cubed form with a series of pleated concrete granite-clad walls and a multi-pitched roof sloping from 11 metres down to 9 metres.

‍

HEALTH & SAFETY

Comprehensive PSCS Plans and Risk Assessments were completed before work commenced, identifying hazards and implementing control measures. This was carried out using the Company’s ISO Certified Management Systems (14001, 45001). Vision also used LEAN practices and criteria to manage on-site safety.

The Lark Theatre seamlessly integrated into the Irish Institute of Music and Song campus. Pedestrian and traffic management plans were in place for the adjacent live campus, and Vision Contracting engaged with the local community, facilitating site visits. All subcontractors provided detailed Safe Work Method Statements and Risk Assessments for their work elements. The Vision Contracting EHS team coordinated all people movements and access/ egress on site and ensured hazards were identified and requisite actions were taken.

H&S monitoring on site was taken very seriously. Every subcontractor was inducted and signed in before accessing the site. Any EHS team observations were digitally recorded and shared with relevant persons. This improved efficiency and ensured excellent safety performance with no time-lost incidents recorded. A specialist scaffolding firm designed and installed a safe platform system for installing brackets, acoustic panels, trusses, and lighting systems in the auditorium.

Vision Contracting’s commitment to safety resulted in a project with zero lost-time incidents. Regular safety audits, toolbox talks, and site walk-throughs ensured adherence to safe work practices.

SUSTAINABILITY

Adaptive Reuse of Existing Buildings During ECI, a decision was made to locate plant, communications and switch room within the existing rear annexe building instead of the basement, thus significantly reducing the carbon footprint of the new building. Using the 2023 RICS Methodology, the carbon saving for these service rooms (50m2) alone was 37,500 kg CO2.

Concrete supplied by O’Reilly Concrete utilised up to 30% GGBS. The supplier recycles all water used in production and offsetting their carbon production by planting trees.

The steel framing system used inside the auditorium was manufactured by Steel Formed Sections, a Monaghan-based manufacturer that employs certified sustainable and clean production processes.

The Lark’s success hinged on achieving a high performance building envelope. Through the use of BIM and with insulation incorporated offsite in most cases, an A3 BER certification was achieved with the following u-values:

• External walls U-value: .18W/m2K

• Precast ground floors U-value: .15W/m2K

• Roof U-value: .16W/m2K

• Doors U-value: 1.6 W/m2K

• Main Entrance doors U-value: 1.6W/m2K

• High-performance double-glazed curtain wall windows, U-value: 1.2W/m2K

• Air permeability 50 Pa: 4.6 m3/(hm2)

• Primary space & water heating from air to water heat pumps with gas boiler backup

‍

PROJECT TEAM

Client: Michael Dawson, Irish Institute of Music & Song (IIMS)

Architect: Stephen Foley Architects & Campus

Structural/Civil Engineer: CORA Consulting Engineers

Acoustic Engineers: AWN Consulting

Mechanical & Electrical Engineers: Patrick McCaul Environmental Consulting Engineers Ltd.

Fire Safety Consultants: Wherity Chartered Surveyors

PSDP: Wherity Chartered Surveyors

‍

BACK TO ALL FINALISTS