Client: Hines Real Estate Ireland
Value: €25 million
Role: Director, Senior Landscape Architect

Cherrywood SDZ is located in the south of Co. Dublin. A planning scheme, developed by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Co. Council will guide the development of what is effectively a new town at the terminus of the Green Luas Line. Hines Ireland are the largest landowner in the SDZ area and, in 2015, elected to progress with the first 5.5km of serviced roads and the three largest parks as the first phase of the development of the SDZ, which will eventually house up to 20,000 residents.

Murray & Associates designed the streetscapes and the three largest public parks in the Green Infrastructure network:

• Tully Park is a flagship park, which links to the new town centre, with national monuments (10th Century Church, Burial Ground and High Crosses), heritage trails, exercise facilities and state-of-the-art play spaces, and a new café;
• Ticknick Park is a regional park with four grass football pitches and extensive countryside walks, woodlands, open areas and a variety of habitats, all with superb views of Dublin Bay, the South Dublin Hills and Wicklow Mountains;
• Beckett Park is a multifunctional urban park with all-weather sports (full-size soccer and six tennis courts) and play, as well as plazas, terraces and meeting spaces and a pavilion which houses a café, changing facilities and social spaces.

Murray & Associates are providing a full service including survey and analysis, concept design, detailed design, technical design, procurement, tendering and contract management. Planning permission was secured in 2016 and the project is currently under construction and due to be completed in early 2018.

Client: Teagasc & Irish Heritage Trust
Value: €7.5 million
Role: Landscape Architect

Murray & Associates were commissioned by Teagasc and the Irish Heritage Trust to produce a landscape master plan to guide future development of the estate and as part of the design team for a new Visitors’ Centre led by CJ Falconer & Associates.

The landscape is an important historic designed landscape, and uniquely, is almost completely intact and maintains almost all of the significant built and planted features from its heyday in the late 19th / early 20th Centuries.

In landscape terms, the proposed Visitors Centre development includes a variety of spaces and land uses proposed in parallel with the development of a new visitors centre and ancillary facilities, and the restoration and refurbishment works proposed to the castle. The masterplan entails the construction of a new entrance route and car park on the eastern boundary of the site which is the least sensitive part of the site in conservation terms. The proposed development will not affect any key features of the existing designed landscape, nor any significant historic trees or plants. The design threads new spaces, paths and routes through the landscape as necessary to provide positive visitor experiences, showcasing one of Ireland’s most important gardens to the public and tourists. Also of importance to the delivery of this plan, is the resurfacing and repair of existing routes throughout the estate, and revealing forgotten elements of the landscape through simple horticultural practices such as pruning of undergrowth, and removal of invasive plants from woodland areas.

Planning permission was granted in March 2017 and works are expected to start in late 2017

Client: Irish Youth Justice Service / Office of Public Works
Value: €55 million
Role: Director, Senior Landscape Architect

This project was initiated by the IYJS to address Ireland’s shortage of suitable accommodation for young offenders. The c.23 hectare campus includes educational, recreational and residential facilities, along with administrative and catering resources.

Designed as a secure campus, but with a sense of openness and with strong connections to the surrounding landscape and views over the north Dublin coast, the NCDF steers away from traditional institutional typologies and uses colour, form and texture to create a vibrant and lush environment. The planting scheme is layered and textural, creating interest in all seasons.

As this is a facility for young people who are undergoing rehabilitation, the landscape design is robust, yet carefully considered and reflective spaces are a core element, including a bespoke, sculptural rain pool as a focal element in the main courtyard, which reflects the sky and planting. The campus also includes all-weather sports facilities, including a large soccer pitch, tennis courts, basketball areas and casual recreational areas. Horticultural facilities—to enable residents to grow vegetables and fruits comprise of raised beds, polytunnel and apple and pear orchards. The facility was completed in 2017

Client: MIDI Group
Value: c.€50 million TBC
Role: Landscape Architect

Tigné Point is a prestigious modern quarter in Sliema, north of Malta’s capital, Valetta. It is a mixed-use development with retail, commercial and residential uses in a spectacular seafront location. The current phase of development involves the construction of a high-rise residential tower.

The external spaces designed by Murray & Associates include plaza areas, a seafront promenade and the restoration of a former military battery and fortifications as a public park. The park will include an amphitheatre for public performances, water elements and a mosaic of planting types, as well as highlighting the fascinating military structures. Any interventions in the military structures for accessibility will be light and contemporary in nature and uplighting is a key element. The project is currently in detailed design stage, to be lodged for planning in 2017

Client: Tesco Ireland
Value: c.€20 million
Role: Director, Senior Landscape Architect

Landscape Design of all aspects of a large new public realm space created by the re-development of the pre-existing shopping centre. Our role involved the design of the plaza and streetscape from the initial landscape and visual analysis for EIS, conceptual and detailed design, tender documents, supervision and certification of works on-site.

The main spatial elements included new limestone and resin-bound paving with a linear pattern, bespoke site furniture, native tree and herbaceous planting. The daylighting of a culverted stream that ran under the site was also a key part of the proposals and brought ecological benefits. The brief for the project also involved working with the local Railway Heritage group and as a result, two supports for a historic rail bridge were incorporated into the space as well. The scheme was completed in 2014.