This commercial building with a total floor area of 1645 sq/m contains seven 'nursery' units intended for small start up companies. It is built along a boundary wall of briarhill business park, 4km from the centre of Galway City.

Each of the seven units has a total of 115 sq/m on the first floor level. The structure is designed to allow a mezzanine level to be added by the future occupants. The design of the stair core in each unit allows the first floor to be accessed independently of the ground floor. The width of the stair core, 2.5m, allows lobbies at ground, first and mezzanine levels as well as the option to install a small platform lift in the void provided.

The two cladding materials of glazing and profiled metal sheeting are simply wrapped around the structural steel frame. The 4m high glazing at the street level allows the ground floor to be used as showroom, retail or similar uses. The long windows stretched along the first floor suggest a less public used such as offices. The two 'glass boxes' at either end act to terminate the simple front elevation and announce the presence of the building behind more prominent buildings in the business park.

Photography by Paul Tierney