Shop for Habitat – Dublin – Ireland

Location: Dublin, Ireland
Project: Renovation of retail space
Surface: 3 800 m2
Role: Architect
Status: Completed

Habitat’s new store opened in Dublin city center. Its design incorporates a former 18th century Bank of Ireland banking hall as well as a 1960’s office building with entrances on both College Green and Suffolk Street.

The majestic banking hall has been restored with a floating restaurant gently inserted within.

The use of historic color palettes is prominent in the Banking Hall, with white laminated and painted fixtures contrasting with the historic ornamentation. Colors were predominantly black and white on the Suffolk Street side in order to enhance Habitat’s ‘Black Box’ concept. Strong colors were introduced to the architectural interventions at the College Green end to create a sense of warmth within the space.
The Habitat project demonstrates how older beautiful buildings can be re-used in a modern leisure and retail context. Through this project we are signaling that by simple and respectful gestures, it is possible to salute past architectural triumphs while embracing a stunning and exciting future as with all of our Habitat projects.