Project will preserve iconic Brutalist landmark facade for the ‘affordable luxury for the people’ hotel

August 8, 2023: Award-winning construction and fit out contractor, Gilbert-Ash, has been appointed as the main contractor to develop Ireland’s first citizenM hotel: citizenM Dublin St Patrick’s.

Molyneux House on Bride Street has a long and varied past including spells as a Huguenot Church, a bird market and the offices of well-known Irish architect, Sam Stephenson.

The distinctive façade of the building, originally designed by Stephenson, is set to be retained as Gilbert-Ash transforms the site into a 245-room, nine-storey hotel featuring citizenM’s signature bedrooms, inspiring workspaces, a living room filled with art, designer furniture and a 24/7 canteenM serving breakfast, coffee, cocktails, and grab-and-go food.

It will also feature a double-height open air art gallery accessible from the ground floor, a terrace courtyard, and four societyM rooms - citizenM’s take on meeting rooms but with a twist. All of these spaces will be open to the public, with societyM rooms available to book for full- or half-day use.

The project, designed by citizenM’s long-standing architecture firm partner concrete Amsterdam, will get underway in August 2023 with completion set for early 2025.

Known for its hybrid hotel concept that answers to the common frustrations of modern travellers by not only providing a great place to sleep but also to work and play, citizenM currently has 31 hotels across the UK, North America, Europe and Asia. The new Bride Street project next to St Patrick’s Park marks the brand’s first venture into Ireland, although it is actively seeking further opportunities in Dublin city centre.

citizenM Dublin St Patrick’s will be Gilbert-Ash’s second project with citizenM, having last year completed the fully modular construction of its London Victoria Station hotel.

Gilbert-Ash Managing Director, Ray Hutchinson, said the company is pleased to be continuing its excellent working relationship with the hotel brand.

He said: “citizenM is known for disrupting the traditional hotel model with a real focus on lifestyle, guest-centric technology, efficiency, value and genuinely great customer service.

“Gilbert-Ash takes on a lot of niche projects which require innovation to succeed, and we share a lot of the same values as citizenM, therefore, we feel there is a real synergy between our companies. We are excited to be working with citizenM once again and we are delighted to be taking on another project in the heart of Dublin.”

Klaas Van Lookeren Campagne, CEO of citizenM, says: “Dublin has been high on our list of target cities for some time, and we are thrilled to have secured this location as our first entry into the Irish market. We believe our affordable luxury concept is a great fit for the city, appealing to both visitors and locals alike, and look forward to connecting with this vibrant community.”

Gilbert-Ash has a unique approach to construction, fit out and refurbishment based on the belief that great buildings come about through hard work, inspired innovation and genuine collaboration.

Sustainability is a key focus for Gilbert-Ash with a number of initiatives underway to help the company to drive down its carbon footprint.