Grafton & O’Mahony Pike win ESB HQ competition

logo_dublincityAccording to reports today, the architecture consortium of Grafton Architects and O’Mahony Pike has won the competition to design a new HQ for the ESB. The building was intended to replace the existing Stephenson Gibney building on Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin. Although it is not clear at this stage if the replacement building will in-fact go ahead.

Dublin city councillors have voted for the original Georgian facade to be reinstated and this is now part of the city’s development plan which according to some councillors could make it difficult to get planning permission for a modern office building on the site. In a statement the company says that it has not yet been decided whether the redevelopment will actually go ahead.

The other two short-listed consortiums were Henry J Lyons and Gilroy McMahon; and Scott Tallon Walker, the last being the only single practice in the final three. The competition attracted 44 entries across the world. The ESB says the new design will not be made public for a number of months until contracts are agreed in advance of a planning application expected next year.