transformation - Sisk 150

210 BUilDiNG a BUSiNESS
The Cork School of Music and a bundle of five schools were some of the first PPPs
(public private partnerships) in ireland. Jarvis with Sisk as design build contractor
were the successful bidders for both.
The term ‘place making’ is sometimes used to describe the development of the
built environment in cities. The Cork School of Music is a major addition to the
‘place making’ of Cork City. The building, beautifully designed by Murray O’Laoire
Architects, has been universally welcomed, acclaimed and enjoyed by the people of
Cork. To mark the opening of the building Sisk and Murray O’Laoire commissioned a
work, Light Ensemble, by artist, Vivienne Roche.
Above: Cork School of Music on the
banks of the River Lee
Opposite: The Ritz Carlton Hotel at
Powerscourt, Co Wicklow. A Treasury
Holdings Development
“There is something really special about buildings which are used by the public,”
says Costello. “Hotels and shopping centres for example as opposed to offices or
industrial buildings are viewed, used and enjoyed by the public. Very few buildings
are genuine visitor attractions. The sports stadia and the national conference centre
will undoubtedly be much visited as indeed the Libeskind-designed theatre on
Dublin’s Grand Canal Square looks likely to be one also, while the most visited
building in ireland currently is the Guinness Storehouse.”
The original Storehouse was built in 1904 and remained in commercial use until
the late 1980s. Guinness had the idea of converting it to a visitor experience as
its millennium project. “RkD Architects drew on all its creative genius to design a
building, including the magnificent Gravity Bar, which has been a huge success for
Guinness and looks as good today as it did when it opened almost 10 years ago in
2000,” says Costello.