The Medical Council of Ireland was set up to protect the interests of the public when dealing with registered medical practitioners. The recent reconstitution of the council enhanced this role and required premises capable of dealing with the increased interface with doctors and the public.
The project includes both offices, a registry section interfacing with practitioners, and a chamber for inquiry and council meetings in a building of 1500m2. The building itself is made up of two sections, the old Georgian building to the front and the new build behind. The fit – out includes, in addition to the inquiry room and council chamber, a meeting suite, cellular offices, open plan offices and associated support spaces including a staff café. The design is contemporary and incorporates elements that complement both the older and recent buildings.
Central to the design is the insertion of a new circular staircase linking the ground floor with the cafe at the base of the atrium and providing a visual focus to the scheme, and a central element around which the council and chamber, the registration and the office spaces circulate.
