Michael Nugent Ltd hits the right notes to deliver a stellar electrical installation at the new Hard Rock Hotel in Dublin.
The company played a central role in creating this latest icon in Dublin’s flourishing hospitality scene, and as the M&E contractor on the project, the team worked closely with the client, Tifco, Caldwell Consulting, architect Consarc and main contractor John Paul Construction to transform and link two heritage buildings into Ireland’s funkiest new hotel.
Squeezed into a complex and confined inner-city site on Lord Edward Street, in Dublin’s City Centre, this €52m project involved the refurbishment of the existing three-storey,listed redbrick Exchange Building. This property dates back to 1912 and was previously the location for the Parliament Hotel. It also involved entirely rebuilding the adjacent seven-storey Fashion House along with constructing a glass link bridge that connects both buildings.
Style-wise, the hotel retains the red brick façades of its original buildings, but completely reimagines the interiors, with other displays from Hard Rock International’s legendary Florida ‘Vault’ including cymbals that once belonged to The Rolling Stones’ Charlie Watts, and Hozier’s first-ever electric guitar.
The four star Hard Rock Hotel features 120 bedrooms, a bar, restaurants and a merchandise shop, and its jewel in the crown – a fifth-floor penthouse boasting a four-poster bed, a handwritten letter by Van Morrison to guitarist Mick Cox and a private, rooftop terrace where guests can barbecue for up to 40 buddies.
The stunning interior design showcases even more iconic music memorabilia and art, all with Irish connections.
Working in conjunction with John Paul Construction, Michael Nugent Ltd provided the full mechanical and electrical services installations for this headline project; Ireland’s first-ever Hard Rock Hotel.
The Hard Rock Hotel’s location within the heart of Dublin’s Temple Bar created logistical restrictions in terms of site access, high volumes of pedestrian footfall within the vicinity, and considerable and consistent vehicular traffic.
Michael Nugent Ltd was onsite from October 2018 to February 2020 as the main M&E contractor, playing a key role in its complex design, mitigating any issues and working tirelessly to ensure the hotel opened on time.
The project was a complex electrical installation, which included mains ESB and LV switchgear, kitchen control panels, bedroom consumer units, sub-mains cabling and mechanical controls cabling. General, emergency, external and bespoke decorative lighting were fitted along with VDA lighting, access control systems and Mode Lighting dimming controls.
An intricate fire alarm system was designed along with disabled refuge, toilet alarms and a tailored telephone and data system.
Michael Nugent Ltd has a wealth of experience providing M&E services for hotels, with a portfolio that comprises projects across the UK and Ireland, including a previous job with John Paul Construction in Cambridge: The Tamburlaine / O’Callaghan Hotel (now the Clayton Hotel) is a four-star hotel which was also a Listed building. Others include Hampton by Hilton, Edinburgh Airport; Premier Inn, Maidenhead; Lough Erne Resort & Spa, Enniskillen and Hillgrove Hotel and Spa, Monaghan.
The Hard Rock Hotel further enhances this ever-growing portfolio and again demonstrates the company’s wealth of experience in providing a professional, high quality service.
Michael Nugent Ltd, 2 Tandragee Road, Pomeroy, Co. Tyrone, BT70 3DS.
T: +44 (0)28 8775 8617
E: info@michaelnugent.co.uk
www.michaelnugent.co.uk
Lightsource
Bohemian and luxurious, Dublin’s new Hard Rock Hotel brings a distinctly Irish twist to the iconic American chain. So, when the features include a punctuation-free letter penned by Van Morrison, Phil Lynott’s leather jacket, and handwritten Bono lyrics, you’d better have a rockin’ light show to match. Enter stage left Belfast-based Lightsource.
A project lighting company with an extensive hospitality portfolio, Lightsource was the obvious choice for the M&E contractor. “We’ve worked with Michael Nugent Ltd on past projects like the Tamburlaine Hotel in Cambridge and Belfast’s Grand Central Hotel,” said Lightsource Director, Anthony Brown. “We have a good working relationship built on trust and our ability to provide comprehensive lighting solutions.”
In the case of the €52m Hard Rock Hotel, this involved consultation on the initial concepts created by the Douglas Wallace interior design team. From there it progressed to global sourcing, production, and installation. It’s an all-encompassing, complete project provision that sets Lightsource apart from the competition.
Anthony explains: “There were products from six or seven different countries used on this project, including custom lighting from Barcelona company Bover, from LZF in Valencia, and architectural lighting from the Italian Linea Light Group.”
Some of the hotel’s most striking lighting features originated closer to home. “We also designed and manufactured a 34-metre long bespoke chandelier that replicates a musical note,” added Anthony. “In all, we were responsible for 98% of the hotel’s lighting, from the façade to the architectural and front of house lighting, the bedroom corridors through to bedside and desk lamps that were again designed and manufactured exclusively by Lightsource.”
T: +44 (0)28 9066 6615
E: sales@thelightsource.co.uk
www.thelightsource.co.uk
The Electrical Equipment Company
Michael Nugent Ltd only work with trusted suppliers which is why they turned to The Electrical Equipment Company (EE) to supply a wide range of electrical products for the Hard Rock Hotel project including accessories, bedroom lighting and emergency lighting.
The EE team worked closely with Michael Nugent Ltd to ensure deliveries arrived on time – a factor that was critical to the smooth running of the project as it was built on a restrictive site with little room for storage.
“We are delighted to have been involved in this fantastic new hotel and add the Hard Rock Hotel to our growing list of prestigious projects,” commented Jake Keyworth, Branch Manager at EE Greentech.
“This project required a diverse range of electrical solutions to meet a variety of needs and, working with M&E contractor, Michael Nugent Ltd, we were able to meet all these requirements.”
“The company’s involvement at Hard Rock Hotel is reflective of EE’s ability to provide a high quality service to customers working on projects of all sizes.”
EE works across the UK and Ireland and provides a fast and efficient service along with reliable delivery direct to site.
“We’ve built up a strong relationship with EE over the past number of years, working with them on several major projects,” says Gareth McAleer, Technical Administrator, Michael Nugent Ltd. “They’re well established and perfectly set up to aid contractors delivering projects of this size. Their deliveries are always on time and when required, which is vital to ensure our works run smoothly. Their sales staff are knowledgeable and kept in close contact to update our contracts manager on any special orders.”
The Electrical Equipment Company, 58 Boucher Place, Belfast, BT12 6HT.
T: +44 (0)28 9066 1177
E: belfast.244@eel.co.uk
www.edmundson-electrical.co.uk
