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The Island Crematorium
The Island Crematorium is located on Rocky Island, an island
situated just off Haulbowline in Cork Harbour. The project involved
transforming a derelict gun store, built in 1808, into a state of
the art Crematorium. This unique project had to be managed and
completed in a manner that would respect the heritage of the site
whilst producing a modern and appropriate setting for a crematorium.
Information:
Client: Strikemount Ltd.
Architects: Magee Creedon Kearns
Engineer: Ove Arup & Partners
Quantity Surveyor: Michael Barrett Partnership
Main Contractor: Cornerstone Construction
The building itself was built in 1808 and used by the Royal Navy to
house up to 25,000 barrels of gun powder. The building was in use
for over 100 years. It was handed over to the Irish state in 1938
and had been derelict up until The Island Crematorium Co. Ltd
purchased it in February of 2005. This historic building is a
Protected Structure and all conversion works are carried out to the
highest standards.
This included forming new door, window and roof
opes and alterations to existing opes. New insulated floor slabs
incorporating underfloor heating and polish granite and stone finish
to surface were incorporated to modernize the building.
The building is unique in its construction, built to withstand the
blast of up to 25,000 barrels of gunpowder; therefore the walls are
up to 1.3 metres thick in places. The ceilings are equally robust
and are laid in a herring bone pattern for extra strength. The
building is made up of three long vaulted stores with barreled
ceilings. These vaults are flanked by corridors running along the
external of these vaults which let light into the vaults (candles or
flames were ‘inappropriate’ to use in a gun store!)
The façade of the building is limestone and all joinery is oak. The
concrete finish to the main floors contains quartz and granite to
compliment the existing building.
Cornerstone Construction won the Opus Award in the Heritage Category
for The Island Crematorium in Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork.
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