With glass an ever-popular building material, Pyroguard has helped to combine contemporary aesthetics with fire safety and sympathetically blend the old with the new on an exciting regeneration project in Cork, Ireland. Horgan’s Quay is a six-acre, mixed-use development on the River Lee, next to the Port of Cork. Centred around the conservation of the site’s industrial heritage, Horgan’s Quay features three contemporary office buildings, apartments, a hotel, leisure facilities, shops and restaurants, including the restoration of the site’s heritage goods shed, carriage shed and original station house.
Number One Horgan’s Quay is one of the development’s three office buildings, with the upper floors of the new modern structure cantilevered over the site’s original Goods Shed. The lobby area features a large glazed partition on the first floor, helping to create an open, light space, as well as sympathetically blending the old restored structure with the new.
KCC Group, a door and glazing contractor, was appointed to deliver the EI30 SWS Screen works on the project. Ger McNamee, the site’s contracts manager, said: “In order to ensure the safety of those within the building, 30-minute fire protection was required for the reception area, providing a fire barrier between the lobby and the first floor. Once we had the fire safety glass specification from O’Mahony Pike Architects, it was up to our team at KCC Group to source a supplier. This is when our relationship with Pyroguard began.”
To ensure that the desired aesthetic was achieved, while also meeting building safety regulations, Pyroguard Infinity T-EI30/24-2 SWS fire safety glass was chosen by KCC Group and installed in the glazed partition, within a Jansen steel profile system. Pyroguard Infinity is a range of fire safety glass certified for butt-joint applications. With no vertical frame profiles required, it’s the ‘ideal’ solution for providing visually appealing seamless partitions. Manufactured to EI classification, Pyroguard Infinity provides the highest level of integrity and heat insulation, protecting against flames, smoke and heat.
Ger continued: “Pyroguard has been a really great support on this project and we’ve developed a good working relationship. Michael Shoer, Pyroguard’s technical sales manager for Ireland, has been especially helpful; he’s always there to provide advice when needed, and all the products have been delivered on time, which is key when working on any construction project. We now plan to work with Pyroguard and use its range of fire safety glass solutions on other upcoming projects in Ireland.”
In addition to Number One Horgan’s Quay, Pyroguard Protect T-EI60/25-3 was also installed in the development’s Dean Hotel, used within the Jansen EI60 insulated steel double doorsets. Part of the Technical Fire Safety Group, Pyroguard has been delivering its fire safety glass solutions to the construction market for over 30 years, helping customers to create beautiful and safe living and working spaces. For more information, visit pyroguard.eu.
