Monaghan Peace Campus

Products used: Birtley Olde English Buff brick
Project location: Monaghan, Ireland

Commissioned by Monaghan County Council, the Monaghan Peace Campus is a €17.6 million project, based near the border of Northern Ireland. The building provides the local community with a four-storey hub, comprised of a cultural heritage centre, a library, youth facility and a shared community multi-functional area. In addition to underground parking and a shared outdoor space.

Built on the grounds of a former local authority machinery yard site at The Plantation in Monaghan Town, the project, which has been partially funded by the EU’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body, was developed to enable communities to come together and engage in a safe, open and inspiring setting.

Monaghan was famously bombed during the Troubles, which led to a devastating loss of life and saw significant population change as a result of the displacement of families from Northern Ireland. The impact of the conflict is still felt amongst communities in Monaghan who have struggled with acceptance and integration. Monaghan Peace Campus, which lies adjacent to the bombsite, has been designed to support change in this area, offering a shared space for communities to meet and socialise.

The building’s layout has been designed to create flexible spaces that can suit a variety of needs, to be accessed off open social areas, encouraging integration. To echo the flexibility and openness of the building, the Ibstock Birtley Olde English Buff brick was chosen to create a mellow and contemporary finish to marry the building’s ultra-modern values and aesthetic. What’s more, the inclusion of Buff bricks helps to bring warmth, representing an inviting environment that Monaghan Peace Campus will come to be for its local community.

Given that the Monaghan County Council has obligations to reduce its energy usage, the building’s entire life energy expenditure has also been carefully considered throughout the design and build. A key reason why Ibstock’s clay bricks were chosen, given the supplier’s sustainability credentials.

Clay brick production requires much less energy input and emits less CO2 per ton when compared with other building materials. In addition to this, Ibstock source clay for all of its bricks within the UK, which limits air miles, and therefore, curbs unnecessary emissions.

Ibstock was one of the first brickmakers in the UK to achieve a three-star rating, the highest possible level of accreditation, under the BDA’s Brickmakers Quality Charter, which demonstrates its commitment to the ethical manufacturing of bricks, making the company an ideal supplier for the project.

The choice of the brick has not only helped to support the sustainability of the overall project but has created a warm and welcoming space which is essential for the Monaghan Peace Campus – a place that intends to become a pillar of community and togetherness for the entire town.

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