BRIEF

CSR, in collaboration with Darmody Architecture, prepared the winning design for the Port Centre Precinct enhancement project on East Wall Road, Dublin. Commissioned under Dublin Port Company’s “Soft Values” initiative, the €6M scheme sought to open up and enhance the Port Centre HQ and its environs, while also addressing practical needs such as site reorganisation, access and parking. The project transformed a previously closed site into a welcoming civic space, creating new amenities for public events, relaxation and community engagement.

‍CONCEPT

The design drew inspiration from Dublin Port’s civic heritage, particularly the original Port Authority’s Ballast Office on Westmoreland Street, once a familiar feature of city life through its timeball signal. Reflecting this legacy, the scheme reconnected the Port with the city by creating a series of distinct public spaces: a welcoming plaza with feature turnstiles, a podium with a sculptural stainless-steel “Timeball,” a sheltered maritime-themed garden, a sculptural “gangplank” ramp, and a landmark crane feature marking the estate entrance. Combined with extensive planting, restored structures, and sustainable drainage, the project re-establishes the Port Centre as a distinctive urban landmark and symbolic gateway between Dublin City and the working port.