Foster + Partners are due to submit proposals to Dublin City Council for a dramatic redevelopment and expansion of the Clarence Hotel. Combining the restoration of the existing quayside facade as well as the sensitive insertion of new additions, the hotel will be a bold new landmark for the city.
At the heart of the project is a sculptural “sky catcher” which embraces the main public spaces and pulls daylight deep into the base of the hotel. It emerges at roof level and incorporates a ‘skyroom’ and viewing terrace, uniting and complementing the existing buildings.
Creating a new urban destination, the scheme will regenerate the lively street environment of Temple Bar. A publicly accessible ground floor incorporates restaurants, shops, cafés and bars facing both the riverfront on Wellington Quay and Essex Street East to the South.
The redevelopment of the hotel will incorporate a number of progressive sustainability strategies, including the maximisation of natural light and ventilation, to ensure an energy efficient and environmentally sensitive mixed-use hotel, spa and conference facility. Only the quayside facades of the existing hotel and adjoining buildings - all of which are protected structures - would be retained, although the oak panelling from the Clarence's Octagon Bar is to be salvaged for re-use.
Norman Foster said of the new development, "The redevelopment of the Clarence Hotel is an ambitious project – architecturally and structurally – with a confident yet sympathetic civic presence. It presents an exciting opportunity to regenerate Temple Bar’s river frontage, while also creating a bold new addition to Dublin’s skyline."
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