Monday 30 May 2016

Springsteen

Springsteen

Did a "survey" in Dublin at the weekend. Dunno what all those other people were up to though. There was a tester in attendance. He mostly stayed at the opposite end of the stadium from me. We were barely able to communicate, but he seemed to be quite experienced at what he was doing. I managed to make observations based on his outputs.

Roofing: Cantilevered roof kept the weather off most, but those poor people on the ground must have been cold, judging by the amount of jumping up and down I witnessed.
Structure: The concrete framed structure was bouncing.  During coordinated stress testing the maximum tolerances of the designed bending moment in the seating tiers was tested close to destruction. The bouncing bodies continued to resonate for 3-5 minutes at a time, suggesting some form of ongoing stimulus.
Access for All: The lower levels of the stadium provided level access for some of those less mobile. For others, the climb to the near the back row was punishing. I have questions about the steepness of the stairs, and the number of steps in single flights. I recommend that more lifts be installed.
Drainage: There was a great deal of effort applied by the assembled testers to the testing of the capacity of the stadium's internal drainage systems. Whilst the conditions deteriorated over time, the reducing sensory capacity, caused by the copious oral lubrication consumed, meant that the ability to detect odours diminished at approximately the same rate as increase in splashing.
Acoustics: Some fellow toward the far end of the stadium growled into a microphone for nearly 3.5 hours. He attempted to vary the tone from quietly melodic to loudly aggressive, almost violent. I fear that he must have hurt himself at some points during his evening, based upon the angst apparent in his voice and the contortions visible on his face. I know that he is advancing in years, but I don't think that his pain was arthritic.
Resonance: The tester appeared to be determined to create the type of resonance which can often be the cause of collapse in rigid structure. The vibrations he applied affected observers during the duration of the performance, and were carried thereafter around the streets, pubs and taxis of Dublin. It was many hours later before the resonance dissipated. I gather though that a second resonance test 48 hours later has had an enduring impact on the test subjects. 
Conclusions: In total 160,000 test subjects in Dublin experienced many of the same results I describe above. Most had previously been affected by the same performer, so perceptible changes would be difficult to measure. For others, less experienced in absorption of the output from the performance tester are likely to be permanently affected. These affects tend to be chronic. Many people, including the author, were first directly exposed in Slane 31 years ago, with indirect influence commencing some years before that. The resultant condition is generally incurable, but thankfully the medicine offered during 7 hours of exposure on the two nights of the past weekend, is regularly available. For all those affected in 2016 we collectively request that the performer returns with more medication during the next short period of time.

Monday 2 May 2016

Who are Ward Design?

Who we are

Ward Design was established in 1990. During the past 2 decades we have been involved in some very interesting, and some very challenging projects. These range in scale from modest to massive. Each is very personal to our clients, and we always do our best to give a personal service. The experience of our senior people, allied with the flair of our new talent offer a good blend.




Our Work

During our years in practice we have helped clients with a wide variety of project types. To help you consider the relevant aspect of our history to your current needs, please follow the appropriate link at the top of the page. If you still don't see what you need, we'd be happy to hear from you.

We are recruiting again. We have two positions available: Architect: Recently qualified Part 3, or Part 2 with 2-3 years experience Architectural Technician: Experienced technician with 5+ years under their belt Project types include housing, hotel, care homes, student accommodation. Experience in both NI and GB would be desirable. CVs to info@ward-design.com.

Make the first step

Make the first step

And get in touch with Ward Design.


Often we're met with clients who've been contemplating a self build project for years. They're worried about planning and the initial costs. They've got so many questions that have been bouncing around in there head.



Our advise to anyone planning a new build? Make the first step now! Get in touch.

You'll find many of your fears or doubts can be eradicated quite quickly. You might also find that the castle you where planning on the hill simply isn't possible with today's planning laws - so you can move onto another idea.

We offer a free, friendly, no obligation initial consultation, So please - contact us today to make the first step on your new home or building project.

Click here to arrange a consultation.

Introducing Ward Design

Ward Design

Experienced Architects and Planning Professionals in Northern Ireland.

Today we're launching our new website and blog. We've decided to take our wealth of experience in Architecture and Planning and share it with you.



Planning

Planning to build a house in rural Northern Ireland can be a daunting experience. It takes a lot of determination and experience to build your dream home in your dream location. As planning experts and advisors with over 30 years experience in self build projects in Northern Ireland - Ward Design should be first choice when looking at a new building project.  


Architecture
Ward Design has been at the forefront of Architecture in Northern Ireland for over 30 years. We've planned, designed and managed projects from multi million pound commercial developments to small new build projects and extensions. And we treat both the same level of passion of professionalism. 

We'll be showcasing our best work on our new website and constantly updating our blog with new build and planning tips. So please check back soon.

WARD DESIGN