Bringing Biodiversity to the Urban Landscape

Background
Clancy Quay is a luxury mixed-use development on the historic grounds of Clancy Barracks in Dublin 8. The 13.6-acre site on the banks of the Liffey was reimagined by architects O’Mahony Pike and Mitchell + Associates and transformed by Kennedy Wilson over a seven-year, three-phased project.

The buildings, restoration and landscape are sensitive to the site’s past, while also creating a vibrant, sustainable place to live for current and future communities. In total, almost 7.3 acres of the site are given over to outdoor public realm and community spaces, including gardens, courtyards and playgrounds.

We were engaged by the client’s property management team in 2015 to carry out the landscape maintenance for Phase 1. Since then – as is the SAP Landscapes way – we have established a long-term involvement with the site. In 2017, we were appointed to undertake the landscape construction for Phase 2. This was quickly followed by the Phase 3 construction contract, and we now look after grounds maintenance across the entire development.

Response
Working with separate contractors for Phases 2 and 3, both landscape construction projects were complex and operationally demanding. Timings were extremely tight, site access was restricted and work had to be carried out on a staggered basis to overcome the logistical challenges.

As a luxury development with a large proportion of outdoor space, the hard and soft landscaping specifications were high-end and intricately detailed, incorporating multiple hard surface finishes, paving solutions and planting schemes. Deliverables included several roof gardens (involving intensive and extensive rooftop construction), the cultivation of a wildflower meadow and balcony planting. Despite the project complexities, our team completed all work on time, on budget and to the highest standards.

Quality is also the driving force behind our landscape maintenance work. In conjunction with the property management team, we devised a comprehensive maintenance plan to meet the development’s high standards and reshaped it in line with the client’s changing needs as each new phase was delivered. The property managers take a very proactive management approach, and we work to a clear set of KPIs, meeting weekly with the team to review ongoing and completed work and to plan for future improvements.

Over the years, we have played an active role in supporting our client’s targets to increase the environmental credentials of the site. In consultation with our Biodiversity Ambassador, a new set of initiatives has recently been put in place to enhance the grounds even further. This includes the installation of a bug hotel and bird boxes, the introduction of a community herb garden (for residents and pollinators), further development of the wildflower meadow and a bulb-planting programme to provide a food source for early spring and autumn pollinators.

Results
Clancy Quay has delivered above and beyond its original sustainability goals. Phase 3 was awarded BREEAM Excellent certification for its incorporation of environmental, biodiversity and well-being features across the residential setting. Likewise, the concentration of public realm and outdoor communal spaces within the development, and the wellness benefits these bring, put Clancy Quay in a good position to achieve its future sustainability and community goals.

Our collaboration with the contractors and facility management team has helped to create this urban oasis where people and nature can thrive. The success of these partnerships, and the skills and expertise of our dedicated team, were acknowledged by the ALCI in 2019 when we won the Residential, Commercial & Public Authority Maintenance Award for the project.