Exhibition Building in Limerick
- Barbara Zettel
Níall McLaughlin Architects used roughly half a million bricks to construct the exhibition building in the centre of Limerick. Laying clinker brick is one of the longstanding traditions of the city by the Shannon river, just as playing rugby. JP McManus, born in the city, provided the 30 million euros of financing for the rugby exhibition and event centre completely on his own and intended to gift it to his hometown. Prominently situated on the main shopping avenue, the International Rugby Experience was supposed to become a tourist magnet, revive the inner city, and generate income for the city coffers. The building is located in a row of four-storey townhouses. Its brick facade and typical design elements recall the Georgian architecture of the district. It is reminiscent of a modern cathedral and a public building at the same time and could be a city hall or a library. The least tall facade elements line up with the eaves of the neighbouring buildings. The tower, 32 metres in height, rises above the historic edifices. In front of the tower, the entrance area features a large balcony above a modern portico. Deep pillars structure the facade vertically. Between them, the closed brick surfaces alternate with ceiling-height glazing. Originally the architects had planned to erect the building completely with traditional, hand laid masonry brick. The required precision, a tight schedule, and costs led to choosing a facade mostly comprised of brick slip clad precast concrete elements. Hand-made brick found use with an indenture in the middle, the so-called frog, which was split longitudinally.
