Focal Point for Future Development

The Athlone Library & Civic Centre, Co. Westmeath is an exceptionally designed building. The 4,200 square metre Civic Centre is conceived as a freestanding civic pavilion set at the edge of a new town square, and provides the focal point for Athlone’s future development.

The scheme has also landed numerous Architectural awards including the Chicago Athenaeum International Architecture Prize, the Irish Concrete Society Awards 2006 and the RIBA European Award Winner.

The Architecture echoes Athlone’s major stone built structures, the castle, cathedral and the Shannon bridge, with the surrounding hard landscaping complementing the front façade, providing an contemporary, bright and impactful entrance to the building.

Designed by Keith Williams architects – the Civic centre is typical of their architectural style – with obvious focus on light, form and space.

One thing Keith Williams was very clear about from the beginning of the project was that the building must have a dramatic entrance, so no one would be in any doubt which was the way in. That has certainly been achieved, with full height glazing recessed in the white Techcrete frame and a single set of revolving doors.

TerraPave® Flags also fitted precisely with this vision, Florento textured 400×400 flags were used on the streetscape to and also provide the ideal complement to the rough stucco architecture prevalent in the building.