Alanna Mulcahy

From an early age, Alanna has always had a strong fascination with fashion, solving problems through design and communicating concepts. Alanna has always felt creative thinking, spatial awareness and Art were her strong suits. Throughout her four years studying Interior and Furniture Design at TUD she has made some life-long friends, learned from incredibly talented and experienced tutors, gained confidence and enjoyed each project thoroughly. She has learnt many valuable skills that are vital in the design profession including design communications, design fundamentals, sustainability and critical theory. Her current areas of interest and exploration are within the commercial design sector as she has developed a love for hospitality and retail design. In the next few years, at the beginning of her professional career, Alanna is looking forward to putting what she has learnt into practice as well as hopefully progressing in the design sector. She knows she will find great joy in seeing her creative visions come to life.

The Whiskey Hotel

The proposed thesis project aims to convert the newly developed office block in the heart of Dublin 8’s distinctive Newmarket Square into a multi-level cutting edge 4/5 star ‘whiskey’ hotel. The central and well-established area has long been at the forefront of the rich history of Dublin City. The surrounding location was originally known as the centre of craft distilling and brewing in Dublin and in more recent years it has been transformed into one of the City’s most up and coming regenerated districts.

With this unbeatable placement in the heart of Dublin’s golden triangle of distilleries and brewing: St James’s Gate Brewery, Teeling Distillery and Jameson Distillery, I felt this would be the perfect location for the whiskey hotel which will be a rustic yet elegant and informative tribute to the art of Irish Whiskey making. Hoping to carve a niche in the growing whiskey industry and Dublin’s tourism, Ireland’s largest indigenous industry, the hotel will provide a unique experience for connoisseurs and amateurs alike. Evoking a sense of industry and celebrating an authentic and rustic experience rich in Irish distilling culture. It will be ideal for both business and leisure travellers either looking to host an intimate business gathering or explore the local attractions.

The entire design and aesthetic for the repurposing of the modern office block, comprising of over 75,000 sq. ft of open-plan office and retail spaces across six floors above basement, kept in mind the rich heritage and culture of the area. The design of the hotel’s Barley Spa, Barrel Restaurant, whiskey inspired guest bedrooms, Copper Bar and other amenities each reflect a different stage of the process of whiskey making, creating a unique experience that is the hotel’s key competitive advantage and differentiator. This unique personality of the hotel will celebrate the local flavour with a strong sense of place by incorporating locally sourced products and materials and reflecting the locations heritage through colour and art.

The Crofton Hotel

The proposed project aims to convert the seafront building on Crofton Road, Dún Laoghaire into a 4/5 star boutique hotel with a strong identity based on innovative design. Dun Laoghaire is the popular suburban coastal town in the traditional county of Dublin, Ireland known to locals and tourists for its leisurely strolls on the East Pier and its local farmer’s markets offering seasonal and artisan produce. The town is rich in historical treasures including traces of a sea-based fort kept in the Maritime Museum which was built for a 5th century High King of Ireland ‘Lóegaire mac Néill’ whom the town was originally named after and the remains of the Royal Victorian Baths from the 1920s/30s.

Sketch based research was undertaken to investigate the cultural identity of the location and the surrounding vernacular architecture which is core to the concept development of this landmark building. The design proposal was inspired by the old Victorian baths of Dún Laoghaire including the primitive forms of the modern concrete swimming tanks and the ocean liner style tubular guardrails. Creating an almost stripped back classical, art deco appearance with a hint of modernity. The finished design solution includes: a voided atrium inspired by the shape of a wave, a lobby with a cocktail/coffee bar, 18 bedrooms and 3 suites all with en-suite facilities, a dining room to cater for 50 people, a residents lounge, a rooftop bar and back of house facilities including a kitchen, store/service areas, a laundry room and a goods lift to the basement.