1. UPGRADE AND RETROFIT OF GMIT BUILDING AND CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
B.Sc. (Hons) in ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGY
MARK THORNTON
G00292459
DETAIL AND DESIGN STUDIES 4
 DEMOLITION PLAN
 PROPOSED FIRST FLOOR PLAN
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The final year project was upgrade and retrofit of the Building and Civil
Engineering Department of GMIT was proposed. The way this project was
approached was to look at sustainability and energy performance. The project
tied in with my technical report which looked at analysing energy performance
of the retrofit. The building envelope was the most important aspect for me to
look at, as this had a major effect on the energy performance of the building
and it was because of this that a good u-value and good level of air tightness
had to be achieved.
Elevations
 NORTH ELEVATION
 SOUTH ELEVATION
 WEST ELEVATION
Sections
 PARAPET DETAIL NEW EXTENSION
 INTERMEDIATE DETAIL
Floor Plans
 WINDOW PLAN DETAIL WITH
LARCH TIMBER CLADDING
 INTERNAL VIEW: LINK BRIDGE
 SECTION A-A
 WINDOW PLAN DETAIL WITH FIBRE
CEMENT CLADDING PANELS
 EXTERNAL VIEW: SOUTH ELEVATION SECTION B-B
Details
Renders

2. MARK THORNTON
G00292459
ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGY YR. 4
13/03/2015
Galway/Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) is
located on the approach road to Galway City, along the
Dublin Road. The campus dates back to the 1970’s and
reflects the standard regional technical college built in
Ireland at that time, with pre-cast concrete cladding
panels combined with aluminium framed windows.
Site Investigation and analysis
First floor plan and section of
Department of Building and Civil
Engineering which were
produced from a survey of the
building
Sketch Design
Proposed first floor plan with new layout and proposed new elevations: The new layout is kept simple as to ease
with the demolition and then the construction. The exterior envelope and windows were to be upgraded with a zinc
or similar cladding panel.
Planning Application
 FIRST FLOOR PLAN
Elevations: The elevations changed from the original sketch design. The upper level was to be changed to a vertical
larch cladding while the lower level was to keep the fibre cement cladding panels. This added a contrast between
the two elements and the timber added more aesthetically.
 SOUTH ELEVATION
 WEST ELEVATION
1. Glue laminated beams that are
proposed for new roof light
2. Triple glazed aluminium windows
with built in louvers for ventilation.
Louvers to be constructed from
timber.
3. Vertical larch cladding as
seen on West Buckland School
in Devon UK.
4. Fibre cement cladding panels
Disability Access Certificate
First floor plan: For the disability access certificate access around the building for a disabled person. The layout
had to allow for ease of access around the building and within the classrooms.
Fire Safety Certificate
First floor plan : For fire safety certificate the safe travel distance had to be looked at. Being an existing
building certain dispensations had to be applied for
Analysis and Research: Curtain Walls