Merrion Cricket Club by TAKA Architects

Irish firm, TAKA Architects have designed the new Merrion Cricket Club pavilion in Dublin. The new pavilion replaces the old clubhouse near the River Dodder and is protected from flooding of the River Dodder that severely damaged the old building.



Cricket is an incredibly popular team sport in most English-speaking countries round the world and the project by TAKA Architects for the Merrion Cricket Club in Dublin, Ireland reflects the Spirit of Cricket – seeking to bring together attention for nature, architecture and sport in a harmonious whole.





TAKA Architects began by studying the land’s flooding history and came up with a new pavilion to replace the old clubhouse that was seriously damaged in 2010.



Although from certain angles the building appears to be an irregular shape, it is in actual fact a symmetrical pyramidal volume that perfectly fits the site’s geometry. It offers plenty of vantage points to watch the cricket without intruding on the houses on the street side. 





To respond to the site’s flood risk, the new pavilion was raised by 3 steps – the maximum permissible without guarding, reinforcing the building with a waterproof concrete ‘container’ constructed to 1100 mm above the raised floor level – the perfect height to lean against while watching the game.



With the Merrion Cricket Club, TAKA architects have designed a building with simple materials and clean lines, which reflects the history of the site, and the passion for this outdoor team sport. A building that leaves the stage to the real star: cricket.

(Christiane Bürklein)

Architects: TAKA Architects
Location: Anglesea Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, Ireland
Completion date: June 2014
Client: Merrion Cricket Club
Structural Engineer: Casey O’Rourke Associates
Photographer: Alice Clancy