Elevating the standard for Irish fuel station design.
Kieran Byrne
Completed:
2024
Co. Louth
Budget:
N/A
Located just off the M1 near the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, our vision for Junction 20 was to design and deliver a future-focused project which would elevate the standard for Irish fuel station design. This impeccably designed service station will not only act as an iconic landmark along the M1, the timber frame canopy blending in gracefully to the beautiful surrounding backdrop, it is also a highly functional, future-proofed, eco-conscious development. This architect-designed facility with its innovative timber canopy area and plentiful E-Car charging ports powered by locally-generated renewable energy will act as a national benchmark for all future similar developments.
Champions of innovative timber project design, VDA chose sustainably-sourced Douglas fir timber rather than traditional steel as the material for Junction 20’s striking canopy. This has then been transformed to provide the Glulam tree supports and CLT deck. This has additional benefits in terms of safety- Glulam has a predictable burn rate. This is taken into consideration at design creating a sacrificial char layer over the required structural beam size. This gives protection to the beams which do not bend and buckle like steel in a fire.
Extensive solar panelling, along with a small-scale wind turbine will assist in local energy provision. These natural resources of wind and solar gain will provide sustainable energy for the charging of electric vehicles. The normal plan standards for communal car parking is to allocate 20% of car parking spaces for Electric Vehicle charging points, but at Junction 20 53.8% of car parking spaces are for electric vehicles. This will in turn contribute to the sustainable growth of the Region as it is anticipated that more motor vehicle users will be decommissioning petrol/diesel-based vehicles and transitioning to electric types in the near future.
Mill House, Mill Street, Dundalk, Co. Louth, A91 XTF7
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