Croke Park National Handball Centre

A new home for handball

A celebration for players and spectators.

THE PROJECT

Constructed just behind the Cusack Stand of the famous Croke Stadium, the Gaelic Athletic Association’s new National Handball Centre measures 3417 m2 and provides an iconic monument to the fast-growing sport as well as a welcoming space for the larger local community. The three-story build comprises three 4-wall courts– including a three-sided glass wall show court, a softball show court and three 1-wall courts. The contemporary facility, which also contains a bar and café, will serve as a prominent community hub and the inclusion of Kingspan’s elegant perforated Dri-Design facade makes it a distinctive addition to the landscape of the Ballybough area.

HANDS-ON DESIGN (DESIGN)

SSA Architects were tasked with the challenge of creating a hall containing five courts and associated facilities within a limited space. The building was sensitively designed so the layout of the courts stacked in cross sections, thus informing the silhouette of the external envelope. The option to create a bespoke perforated design on the Dri-Design cladding meant that a truly unique aesthetic could be established for the new centre. SSA Architects supplied images to PJ Quinn Ltd., who then compiled the final size and location of the perforations to create distinctive silhouettes of handball players in varying, animated stances. These designs were then engineered into the Dri-Design cassettes by Kingspan. This dynamic detailing provides a glimpse of the exciting sporting action taking place inside. Specified in aluminium with a Corten colour finish, the vibrant facade is a fitting reflection and celebration of both the sport and the Gaelic Athletic Association, helping to raise its profile.

SEAMLESS APPLICATION (INSTALLATION)

Contractors PJ Quinn Ltd fixed the factory engineered QuadCore™ Karrier directly to the supporting steel work. The Karrier system encapsulates an internal liner sheet, insulation and external weather sheet in a single panelised system, which enabled the building to be made weathertight before the external works were finished, allowing internal fit-out to begin earlier in the process. The perforated Dri-Design cassettes were then installed over the top using a simple, interlocking fixing method. To ensure all perforations were correctly aligned and to simplify the installation of this complex finish, Kingspan provided detailed, numbered design plans. These cassettes can also be easily removed for repair or recoating, maximising longevity and ongoing safety.

CHAMPIONSHIP ACHIEVEMENT (PERFORMANCE)

The specification of Kingspan Dri-Design helped to create an iconic aesthetic for this ambitious new centre through the combination of the bespoke perforated design and attractive variated Corten colour. In addition, the inclusion of QuadCore™ Karrier panels enabled the National Hand Ball Centre to achieve high thermal efficiency whilst the panel’s factory-engineered jointing helped to achieve high levels of air tightness, ensuring the new centre will benefit from excellent, long-lasting performance.