This proposed development is for a landmark residential building to be located over the second phase of a mixed use commercial development. In a reaction to the current pattern of development drifting from the urban core of the provincial town, the proposed commercial development is located in a backlands site in the centre of the town which has been carefully considered to respect its surrounding context while the residential element creates a significant new intervention on the local skyline.

Although the form of this signature building is unique and certainly a typology unusual to Drogheda it is a design that is specific to the site and responds to factors particular to its location. From the outset it was felt that the design of the building would require to be a strong statement and be somewhat iconic, a symbol of a forward looking Drogheda.

The result is a design that is organic in form; an asymmetric crescent generated from curves tangental to the outline of the site. The form has been furthered refined to respond to the diurnal movement of the sun around the building maximising the number of south and west facing apartments whilst minimising north facing apartments and thus makes the most of the potential for direct sun and daylight penetration.

The most prominent elevation of the building and that with the best views and the greatest potential for solar gain is the South elevation. One of the generators of the form of the building was therefore to maximise the length of the elevation giving the opportunity to obtain the maximum benefit from the sun. In addition to maximising the length of the facade the design has also maximised the available facades to the West of the building and the form of the building has been evolved to achieve this. The refining process included the quantitative analysis of the form generated through in depth solar modelling by White Young Green, the results of which have been included in the Solar Access section of the Impact Statements accompanying this application.

The elevation to the West is the only elevation to which there is any form of residential development in the near vicinity (apartments facing Peter Street) of the proposal. As such the building has been pulled away from the rear facade of these apartment units. By withdrawing the form of the building from these facades we have maximised the distance between opposing windows. The result is that the minimum distance between windows, albeit at an oblique angle of view, is 29 metres.

To the north east of the site is the Laurence Town Centre, which at lower levels has been screened off to minimise the views over the roof, however at the upper levels the views from within the apartments will be over the top of this area and will afford attractive views out towards the hospital and beyond. The diagram to the left illustrates some of the key views afforded by the site.