The Sky Pool, a global feat of design and manufacturing innovation, has officially opened at Embassy Gardens in London’s Nine Elms. The world’s largest free-standing clear acrylic pool structure sits high above the ground at tenth storey level, forming a transparent aqueduct spanning 15 metres between two new apartment buildings.

The buildings are part of the second phase of the mixed use Embassy Gardens scheme (EcoWorld Ballymore) on a high profile site close to the new US Embassy and the River Thames. The developers brought an international team of experts together to create the pool, working with architects HAL Architects and Arup Associates, structural engineer Eckersley O’Callaghan and US manufacturer Reynolds Polymer Technology. For all involved in the project, the pool’s opening marks the culmination of six years of collaboration to tackle the numerous challenges involved in designing, engineering and manufacturing this highly innovative structure.

The groundbreaking design concept grew out of a conversation between HAL Architects and Ballymore chairman and group chief executive Sean Mulryan. “We were dealing with the practical question of how to put a 25 metre swimming pool on the roof. A single pool of that size would not have fitted on one building,” explains Hal Currey, founder of HAL Architects. “We had a meeting with Sean and the idea of creating the pool as an aqueduct came up and Sean said: ‘If we’re going to do it, then let’s do it properly and make it transparent’.”

The conversation could have ended there. “It was one of those rash ideas that you don’t expect to happen,” says Currey. “But Sean really embraced it.”

Initially, the designers looked at making the pool in steel and glass, but when Eckersley O’Callaghan joined the design team, they suggested using acrylic instead of glass. Acrylic has been used to create some of the world’s biggest and most famous modern aquaria, including a water slide tube through a shark tank in Las Vegas. “The move from glass to acrylic was integral to the project and the final design,” says Currey. “Glass would have involved numerous complexities and fixings. Acrylic allowed us to get rid of a lot of architectural hardware. In terms of clarity and transparency, it allowed us to get close to the original idea. But we didn’t know when we created the first image of the design that it would be possible to use acrylic.”

That first computer generated image showing a view from the ground up to a clear blue pool had been published in the Evening Standard newspaper in London in 2017, exciting global interest. “The intention was to keep the design simple. It had to look as transparent as possible and appear as effortless as possible,” says Currey. Acrylic offered aesthetic benefits as it appears colourless, its refractive index would give the impression of it blending with the water and joints in the structure would not be visible. An acrylic pool would still, however, be complex to design and build. “We faced a combination of challenges: the transparency, the acrylic and spanning the two buildings,” explains Currey.

The final design comprises a 15 metre long acrylic section sitting in steel ‘tubs’ at either end, the tubs providing a base for the pool and also housing the pool steps and essentials such as cleaning equipment and lighting. Bridge bearings under the tubs allow the pool to move as the two buildings on which it sits move. The only other steelwork in the pool structure is the two discreet post-tensioned rods running under the side walls, which help secure the tubs to the acrylic without needing to drill into the latter.

Colorado-based expert in acrylic fabrication Reynolds Polymer Technology played a crucial part in refining the design. Currey gives one example: “The original design had two downstand acrylic beams, but they were removed as the construction evolved. So the pool actually became more aligned to its original design concept.”

The fabricator had to refine its own quality and fabrication processes – and temporarily extend its production facility – in order to deliver the large and exacting project. “Building a pool for London in Colorado was not the easiest thing to do. We were very much in Reynolds’ hands,” says Currey. The pool floor is made of seven cast acrylic panels, joined to create the 15 metre span, and has 3.2 metre high side walls. The overall structure contains 148,000 litres of water, giving a depth of 1.2 metres.

Delivering this project has inevitably been a long and testing process. “There were many times when I thought it wouldn’t happen,” admits Currey. Now that it is complete, he says, “I’m fairly amazed it’s there. I feel a mix of relief and a sense of achievement. The most gratifying thing is that it looks better than it did in the early computer generated images.”

The pool has an obvious value to its location, says Currey. “There are all sorts of things it brings to Embassy Gardens – people talk about it and want to know about it and you hope there will be a social value as a congregation point for residents.” Embassy Gardens’ Sky Deck bar and restaurant on either side of the pool maximise the pool’s social potential.

For the construction industry, the project has value in adding to understanding of the application of non-traditional materials like acrylic. Currey also praises Sean Mulryan for remaining true to his initial vision. “In our industry we are so used to seeing designs value engineered,” he says. “It is not often that you have an idea that gets so fully supported by the client in this way.”

Global drinks giant Diageo has named Ballymore as its development partner to create a visionary neighbourhood for living, entrepreneurship, creativity and commerce at the St James’s Gate site of the Guinness brewery in Dublin. The move will see an iconic site with a rich heritage become a standard bearer for the city’s future, as Dublin’s first zero carbon district.

Diageo began its search for a development partner in 2017 and selected Ballymore following a rigorous selection process. Oliver Loomes, Managing Director of Diageo Ireland, said, “Since our announcement in 2017 we have been committed to doing it right and know that Ballymore share our vision for the future of the site. We look forward to partnering with them on this exciting project. Our ambition is also to work with the Iveagh Trust, one of Dublin’s largest social housing providers, as a partner in this project.”

Ballymore comes to this project with a track record in such complex regeneration developments as London City Island and Old Spitalfields Market, in London. Ballymore Chairman and Chief Executive Sean Mulryan said, “We are truly honoured to have been chosen as Diageo’s development partner for the Guinness Quarter. With 40 years of experience in delivering complex urban regeneration sites, in city centre locations across Europe, we are confident we have the team to deliver. I am looking forward to leading the team in bringing this special place to life.”

Diageo and Ballymore will now work with the local community and stakeholders to develop the shared vision for the regeneration of the 12.6 acre site. “It is unusual for a drink to mean so much to so many, but Guinness has become far more than a brand. It has become a symbol for Ireland: an icon of heritage for people all over the world,” continued Mulryan. “St James’s Gate has over 260 years of history, and so, we have a unique responsibility to ensure that when that famous gate opens, it opens to a place synonymous with good times and memorable experiences.”

Opening up the site’s gates to welcome in the public is one aspect of the regeneration vision, alongside the creation of new public spaces for this area of the city and preserving and breathing new life into valued heritage assets. The zero carbon ambition will see existing buildings assessed for potential re-use and renewable energy potential explored. “Working together, Diageo, Ballymore, the local community and Dublin City Council will establish a new part of Dublin City for future generations, that supports Ireland’s growth economically, socially, and culturally,” said Mulryan.

The St James’s Gate brewery has been the home of Guinness since 1759 and was once known as a ‘city within a city’, which boasted its own railway line, medical department and fire brigade. Under the regeneration, the site will remain at the heart of the local community, while also boosting the regeneration of its Liberties area location and the broader city.

The Guinness brand’s links with its historic home will also very much remain, as Diageo Ireland’s Loomes explained: “Diageo will continue to be present in the area as our Irish headquarters will be located at St James’s Gate, alongside our brewery, the new Roe & Co distillery, the Guinness Storehouse and the Open Gate Brewery. This demonstrates our confidence and commitment to the Guinness Quarter.”

London’s newest Thames pier was opened to the public this week and appropriately provided the location for Transport for London (TfL) to announce its new strategy aimed at expanding the river’s pier network.

The new pier at Ballymore and Oxley’s Royal Wharf is London’s longest and the 23rd serviced by the Thames Clippers riverboat service. The cutting edge design with its grey painted steel structure and distinctive copper-coloured balustrading was created by architect Nex and has already been recognised in this year’s New London Awards. The structure was built in Holland and transported some 300 miles by water to its final location, alongside the burgeoning community at Royal Wharf.

Local residents and visitors can now all enjoy the pier’s promenade and glazed viewing platform, taking in the sights and sounds of the Thames. But above all, the pier makes a key contribution to sustainable travel in east London, bringing popular destinations within easy reach. Residents from Royal Wharf and the wider Newham community using Royal Wharf Pier will be able to travel via the Thames Clipper to Canary Wharf in just 23 minutes, while the Tower of London is 34 minutes away.

The new pier could be the shape of things to come. The new Passenger Pier Strategy sets out how TfL, the Port of London Authority, boat operators and other stakeholders plan to double the number of trips taken by river each year to 20 million by 2035, reducing car use and freeing up capacity on other public transport. Heidi Alexander, Deputy Mayor for Transport said of the launch of the strategy: “The Thames is one of London’s major assets and our Pier Strategy will enable us to maximise its potential fully. By improving our piers and making them more accessible and appealing, we will encourage many more Londoners to travel by river – helping reduce car use, ease congestion and improve air quality.”

The strategy proposes that TfL and the Port of London Authority encourage the delivery of more privately funded, developer-led piers to help increase passenger potential. Robin Mortimer, Chief Executive of the Port of London Authority, said: “This new strategy is a key step in continuing safe and sustainable growth in passenger use of the River Thames – whether that’s for Londoners, UK or overseas visitors – the river offers something for everyone. Investment in modern and attractive passenger piers is central to that future growth and great customer experience.”

That could see more developers following the example being set at Royal Wharf, providing homes and sustainable travel in an integrated approach.

Sean Mulryan, Chairman & Group Chief Executive, Ballymore, said: “The new pier having launched for public service is an incredible achievement for all involved, and a great addition for Royal Wharf and Newham residents. We are delivering 3,385 new homes here in east London – which is in essence a new town, ultimately for 10,000 residents across 40 acres. This isn’t just a new build development for the people that live here, it brings a lot for the whole borough. The vision for the neighbourhood is being realised here, with the Royal Wharf Community Dock now open too, plus an NHS health centre, new nursery and primary school all on the way.”

綠盛世巴利摩（Ecoworld Ballymore）是一家合資企業，開發了倫敦一些最令人矚目和創新的住宅開發專案。近日該公司在英馬商會卓越獎評比中（British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce Excellence Awards）榮獲英國-馬來西亞年度最佳合作夥伴獎。

這個備受讚譽的獎項由英國駐馬來西亞大使、倍受尊敬的Charles Hay MOV頒發，旨在表彰那些取得了傑出商業成果並為經濟創造了顯著價值的成功合作夥伴關係。  

Ecoworld和Ballymore自2015年以來一直保持合作夥伴關係，在倫敦城市島（London City Island）和Wardian等地創建了新的社區。倫敦城市島是一個占地12英畝的河濱社區，被稱為“微縮曼哈頓”，而Wardian則是位於金絲雀碼頭南部的兩座豪華住宅塔樓。

這兩家合作夥伴還負責開發備受讚譽的大使館花園（Embassy Gardens）。大使館花園是世界著名的天空泳池所在地，被倫敦市長描述為“可能是倫敦和英國最重要的重建故事”。  

在談到合資企業的成功時，Ballymore集團總經理約翰·穆爾瑞安（John Mulryan）表示：“我們很自豪能與Ecoworld作為優秀合作夥伴一同獲得認可。在過去的八年裏，這個合資企業在倫敦艱難時期交付了數千套住宅。通過共同努力，我們找到瞭解決之道，並創建了我們相信將經得起時間考驗的新社區。”  

該頒獎典禮的組織者表示，獲獎者是“我們兩國的榜樣”，並補充說“我們要祝賀所有獲獎者，並感謝參與這個令人難忘的專案的每個人”。  

Ballymore在過去一年中已獲得八個開發專案的獎項，其中包括兩個備受追捧的英國住宅獎。您可以在此處查看巴利摩所獲得的全部獎項。

绿盛世巴利摩（Ecoworld Ballymore）是一家合资企业，开发了伦敦一些最令人瞩目和创新的住宅开发项目。近日该公司在英马商会卓越奖评比中（British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce Excellence Awards）荣获英国-马来西亚年度最佳合作伙伴奖。

这个备受赞誉的奖项由英国驻马来西亚大使、倍受尊敬的Charles Hay MOV颁发，旨在表彰那些取得了杰出商业成果并为经济创造了显著价值的成功合作伙伴关系。  

Ecoworld和Ballymore自2015年以来一直保持合作伙伴关系，在伦敦城市岛（London City Island）和Wardian等地创建了新的社区。伦敦城市岛是一个占地12英亩的河滨社区，被称为“微缩曼哈顿”，而Wardian则是位于金丝雀码头南部的两座豪华住宅塔楼。

这两家合作伙伴还负责开发备受赞誉的大使馆花园（Embassy Gardens）。大使馆花园是世界著名的天空泳池所在地，被伦敦市长描述为“可能是伦敦和英国最重要的重建故事”。  

在谈到合资企业的成功时，Ballymore集团总经理约翰·穆尔瑞安（John Mulryan）表示：“我们很自豪能与Ecoworld作为优秀合作伙伴一同获得认可。在过去的八年里，这个合资企业在伦敦艰难时期交付了数千套住宅。通过共同努力，我们找到了解决之道，并创建了我们相信将经得起时间考验的新社区。”  

该颁奖典礼的组织者表示，获奖者是“我们两国的榜样”，并补充说“我们要祝贺所有获奖者，并感谢参与这个令人难忘的项目的每个人”。  

Ballymore在过去一年中已获得八个开发项目的奖项，其中包括两个备受追捧的英国住宅奖。您可以在此处查看巴利摩所获得的全部奖项。

一座新的雕塑在巴利摩倫敦城市島社區揭幕，這座雕像的落成，標誌著這個坐落在利茅斯半島上的社區已成為東倫敦最新的、引人注目的文化區。

這座雕像是由巴利摩創始人Sean Mulryan與Seb Coe勳爵共同揭幕的。揭幕當晚Seb Coe勳爵還發表了演講。他在演講中歷數了Sean曾經為 2012 年奧運會提供資金贊助，以及對倫敦城市島等社區的設計願景和高品質的建設，並讚揚他為東倫敦的復興工程做出了巨大貢獻。  

"我知道Sean對城市復興的重視程度。我們看到並證實了肖恩對體育與文化的重視在社區中所發揮的巨大效應。 我們眼前看到的矗立在這裏的這個大型文化機構——英國國家芭蕾舞團，是這個文化社區的基石。 它不僅為這裏的文化做出巨大貢獻，給倫敦乃至全英國的文化都注入了巨大活力。

“對於那些在這個社區生活與工作的人來說，請繼續發揚這種精神，因為這是一個重要的文化傳承的理念，你們提供的不僅僅是基礎設施服務，而是讓社區的體育與文化相結合而產生的能動力。 它關乎人類生存的精神層面的需求。”

如若觀看Seb Coe勳爵開幕式演講的完整視頻，請點擊此處。  

Sean和他的妻子Bernardine將這座雕塑贈送給社區，充分證明了他們對藝術不懈的追求，Sean認為： "這座雕塑是倫敦城市島引人注目的又一個新的聚焦點。

"我一直深深地感受到藝術、文化和自然之美與人們的幸福指數及生活品質是息息相關的。因此，我們將藝術作為所有開發專案的核心考量。

"在倫敦城市島，巴利摩率先將倫敦的創意產業更廣泛地遷移到這裏——首都的東部地區。我們希望社區的居民和遊客能盡情享受這裏的文化氛圍，也希望這座新雕塑能讓他們停頓片刻，哪怕僅是幾秒鐘"。

這座雕塑由Colin Spofforth設計的。  

為了進一步推動當地藝術的發展，Sean Mulryan還宣佈啟動一項新的藝術基金計畫，該計畫是他與藝術家、兼三一畫廊（Trinity Gallery）策展人Ian Felton聯手設立的（三一畫廊位於幸運島開發專案，比鄰倫敦城市島）。該基金計畫將為新銳藝術家提供資金與行銷的支持，幫助他們開發新作品。 根據該計畫，Sean將投資原創藝術作品。這些藝術品將進行未來版本的製作，並以版稅的方式出售，在接下來的五年內為藝術家創造持續的收入來源。Ian將以他專業的知識提供藝術市場方面的建議，並且在製作和銷售方面給予支持。

長期目標是將藝術基金發展成為一個可持續的模式，不斷為藝術家提供支持，並在未來許多年裏創造新的收藏品。

Sean解釋說：“我熱衷於為嶄露頭角的藝術家提供一個分享作品的平臺。 我想對他們進行投資，創造可行的收入來源，讓他們的事業更上一層樓，並將他們的才華展示給新的觀眾。

“我很自豪這一舉措以及這座雕塑，這彰顯了我們對倫敦這一地區的藝術的重視，並期待通過新的基金計畫在未來結識更多新銳藝術家。” 雕塑揭幕和基金啟動儀式在倫敦城市島的 Lockdown Room 舉行，在這個音樂與文化相交融的夜晚，巴利摩的員工、表演者、音樂家和嘉賓們彙聚一堂，英國說唱歌手 Tinie Tempah 和 DJ Welshy為現場觀眾帶來了精彩的表演，來自英國國家芭蕾舞團（ENB）的舞蹈家也表演了精彩的芭蕾舞片段。

當晚的活動進一步認證了倫敦城市島在推動首都文化和藝術方面所發揮的作用。除 ENB 外，許多文化合作夥伴也在此安家落戶，其中包括 arebyte 工作室——為多達 150 名的藝術家和製作者提供經濟實惠的工作空間，他們的作品涵蓋珠寶、設計、美術、動畫、數字媒體、音樂、時裝、攝影、遊戲開發、建築和陶瓷等領域；還有倫敦燈塔畫廊——為新銳和知名藝術家及攝影師提供攝影工作室和展示畫廊。

音樂家在這裏也有一個展示平臺——“The Woods”錄音棚，這裏是製作人和詞曲作者Dantae Johnson的三只熊娛樂公司 (Three Bears Entertainment) 的所在地，裏面設有音樂和播客工作室、創意活動和排練空間。 他的隔壁是創意時尚工作室Lulu Liu，她是一位高級時裝設計師，在設計中使用先進3D 技術。 當然，還有三一藝術畫廊，為新生藝術家和知名藝術家提供一個展示的平臺。

Sean總結道：“這次活動提醒我們，我們對倫敦城市島的願景藍圖已化為現實，該地區已經成為倫敦新的文化和藝術中心。 倫敦城市島曾經是倫敦城中的一塊不毛之地，現在擁有 4,000 多名居民，周邊遍佈獨立的特色餐廳、商店和優美的戶外空間。”  

欲瞭解有關倫敦城市島的更多資訊，請單擊此處。

瞭解我們的創意社區

要想瞭解在島上安家的一些創意人士的採訪視頻，請點擊此處。

一座新的雕塑在巴利摩伦敦城市岛社区揭幕，这座雕像的落成，标志着这个坐落在利茅斯半岛上的社区已成为东伦敦最新的、引人注目的文化区。

这座雕像是由巴利摩创始人Sean Mulryan与Seb Coe勋爵共同揭幕的。揭幕当晚Seb Coe勋爵还发表了演讲。他在演讲中历数了Sean曾经为 2012 年奥运会提供资金赞助，以及对伦敦城市岛等社区的设计愿景和高品质的建设，并赞扬他为东伦敦的复兴工程做出了巨大贡献。  

"我知道Sean对城市复兴的重视程度。我们看到并证实了肖恩对体育与文化的重视在社区中所发挥的巨大效应。 我们眼前看到的矗立在这里的这个大型文化机构——英国国家芭蕾舞团，是这个文化社区的基石。 它不仅为这里的文化做出巨大贡献，给伦敦乃至全英国的文化都注入了巨大活力。

“对于那些在这个社区生活与工作的人来说，请继续发扬这种精神，因为这是一个重要的文化传承的理念，你们提供的不仅仅是基础设施服务，而是让社区的体育与文化相结合而产生的能动力。 它关乎人类生存的精神层面的需求。”

如若观看Seb Coe勋爵开幕式演讲的完整视频，请点击此处。  

Sean和他的妻子Bernardine将这座雕塑赠送给社区，充分证明了他们对艺术不懈的追求，Sean认为： "这座雕塑是伦敦城市岛引人注目的又一个新的聚焦点。

"我一直深深地感受到艺术、文化和自然之美与人们的幸福指数及生活质量是息息相关的。因此，我们将艺术作为所有开发项目的核心考量。

"在伦敦城市岛，巴利摩率先将伦敦的创意产业更广泛地迁移到这里——首都的东部地区。我们希望社区的居民和游客能尽情享受这里的文化氛围，也希望这座新雕塑能让他们停顿片刻，哪怕仅是几秒钟"。

这座雕塑由Colin Spofforth设计的。  

为了进一步推动当地艺术的发展，Sean Mulryan还宣布启动一项新的艺术基金计划，该计划是他与艺术家、兼三一画廊（Trinity Gallery）策展人Ian Felton联手设立的（三一画廊位于幸运岛开发项目，比邻伦敦城市岛）。该基金计划将为新锐艺术家提供资金与营销的支持，帮助他们开发新作品。 根据该计划，Sean将投资原创艺术作品。这些艺术品将进行未来版本的制作，并以版税的方式出售，在接下来的五年内为艺术家创造持续的收入来源。Ian将以他专业的知识提供艺术市场方面的建议，并且在制作和销售方面给予支持。

长期目标是将艺术基金发展成为一个可持续的模式，不断为艺术家提供支持，并在未来许多年里创造新的收藏品。

Sean解释说：“我热衷于为崭露头角的艺术家提供一个分享作品的平台。 我想对他们进行投资，创造可行的收入来源，让他们的事业更上一层楼，并将他们的才华展示给新的观众。

“我很自豪这一举措以及这座雕塑，这彰显了我们对伦敦这一地区的艺术的重视，并期待通过新的基金计划在未来结识更多新锐艺术家。” 雕塑揭幕和基金启动仪式在伦敦城市岛的 Lockdown Room 举行，在这个音乐与文化相交融的夜晚，巴利摩的员工、表演者、音乐家和嘉宾们汇聚一堂，英国说唱歌手 Tinie Tempah 和 DJ Welshy为现场观众带来了精彩的表演，来自英国国家芭蕾舞团（ENB）的舞蹈家也表演了精彩的芭蕾舞片段。

当晚的活动进一步认证了伦敦城市岛在推动首都文化和艺术方面所发挥的作用。除 ENB 外，许多文化合作伙伴也在此安家落户，其中包括 arebyte 工作室——为多达 150 名的艺术家和制作者提供经济实惠的工作空间，他们的作品涵盖珠宝、设计、美术、动画、数字媒体、音乐、时装、摄影、游戏开发、建筑和陶瓷等领域；还有伦敦灯塔画廊——为新锐和知名艺术家及摄影师提供摄影工作室和展示画廊。

音乐家在这里也有一个展示平台——“The Woods”录音棚，这里是制作人和词曲作者Dantae Johnson的三只熊娱乐公司 (Three Bears Entertainment) 的所在地，里面设有音乐和播客工作室、创意活动和排练空间。 他的隔壁是创意时尚工作室Lulu Liu，她是一位高级时装设计师，在设计中使用先进3D 技术。 当然，还有三一艺术画廊，为新生艺术家和知名艺术家提供一个展示的平台。

Sean总结道：“这次活动提醒我们，我们对伦敦城市岛的愿景蓝图已化为现实，该地区已经成为伦敦新的文化和艺术中心。 伦敦城市岛曾经是伦敦城中的一块不毛之地，现在拥有 4,000 多名居民，周边遍布独立的特色餐厅、商店和优美的户外空间。”  

欲了解有关伦敦城市岛的更多信息，请单击此处。

了解我们的创意社区

要想了解在岛上安家的一些创意人士的采访视频，请点击此处。

巴利摩的倫敦城市島專案位於首都倫敦的東部，是一處蓬勃發展的新興文化社區。

在這個新興社區裏彙聚了無數創意人才，社區還為那些表演者和藝術家提供了一個分享自己作品的平臺。在這部紀錄片中，我們將會結識一些視倫敦城市島為自己的家園的藝術家。

點擊這裏聆聽Archangelo古典音樂樂團的心聲：他將倫敦城市島比作“藝術家的樂園”；或定格動畫師Tim Allen的對倫敦城市島的評價：這裏是他剪輯全球大片的基地，就如同Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation在改編他的奧斯卡獲獎影片《木偶奇遇記》。

在紀錄片中還展示了arebyte畫廊，該畫廊為多達150名藝術家、製作者、時裝設計師、音樂家、音樂製作人提供了經濟實惠的展示空間，當然還有英國國家芭蕾舞團——倫敦城市島的文化核心。

談到這個日益壯大的社區，巴利摩集團創始人兼主席Sean Mulryan表示： "倫敦城市島是一些才華橫溢的藝術家和表演者的家園。我們對這個社區的願景是將這裏建設成一個能激發他們創作靈感的地方，為他們提供一個能夠與全球觀眾接軌的平臺。

"這部紀錄片完美地記錄了藝術家在島上的生活經歷；我很高興聽到他們的心聲，並期待那些精良的製作、精美的藝術作品和精湛的表演將從這裏源源不斷地誕生！”

這部紀錄片僅僅是倫敦城市島精彩文化周的一個掠影。而這裏豐富多彩的文化活動每天都在發生著！就在幾天前，包括Seb Coe勳爵在內的嘉賓們來到倫敦城市島參加了一座雕塑的揭幕典禮。這座雕塑雕刻得惟妙惟肖，是一雙銀色的芭蕾舞鞋，是Sean Mulryan和他的妻子Bernardine贈送給倫敦城市島的禮物，它坐落於英國國家芭蕾舞團的Mulryan Centre的對面。點擊這裏可以瞭解更多資訊。

巴利摩的伦敦城市岛项目位于首都伦敦的东部，是一处蓬勃发展的新兴文化社区。

在这个新兴社区里汇聚了无数创意人才，社区还为那些表演者和艺术家提供了一个分享自己作品的平台。在这部纪录片中，我们将会结识一些视伦敦城市岛为自己的家园的艺术家。

点击这里聆听Archangelo古典音乐乐团的心声：他将伦敦城市岛比作“艺术家的乐园”；或定格动画师Tim Allen的对伦敦城市岛的评价：这里是他剪辑全球大片的基地，就如同Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation在改编他的奥斯卡获奖影片《木偶奇遇记》。

在纪录片中还展示了arebyte画廊，该画廊为多达150名艺术家、制作者、时装设计师、音乐家、音乐制作人提供了经济实惠的展示空间，当然还有英国国家芭蕾舞团——伦敦城市岛的文化核心。

谈到这个日益壮大的社区，巴利摩集团创始人兼主席Sean Mulryan表示： "伦敦城市岛是一些才华横溢的艺术家和表演者的家园。我们对这个社区的愿景是将这里建设成一个能激发他们创作灵感的地方，为他们提供一个能够与全球观众接轨的平台。

"这部纪录片完美地记录了艺术家在岛上的生活经历；我很高兴听到他们的心声，并期待那些精良的制作、精美的艺术作品和精湛的表演将从这里源源不断地诞生！”

这部纪录片仅仅是伦敦城市岛精彩文化周的一个掠影。而这里丰富多彩的文化活动每天都在发生着！就在几天前，包括Seb Coe勋爵在内的嘉宾们来到伦敦城市岛参加了一座雕塑的揭幕典礼。这座雕塑雕刻得惟妙惟肖，是一双银色的芭蕾舞鞋，是Sean Mulryan和他的妻子Bernardine赠送给伦敦城市岛的礼物，它坐落于英国国家芭蕾舞团的Mulryan Centre的对面。点击这里可以了解更多信息。

Some 20 colleagues from Ballymore joined a volunteer day in London this week, supporting the local environment and local skills.

The Canal Day of Action took place in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and was organised by local charity Pursuing Independent Paths (PiP), working with the Canal and Rivers Trust, and Meanwhile Gardens – a community garden initiative in the area.

Students from PiP also joined the day; the organisation empowers adults with learning disabilities or autism to find their voice and lead a life of their choice, and the event was part of its garden-focused curriculum, providing employment skills for the students who took part. Jack Taylor of PiP explained: “This was a truly fantastic day with many positive outcomes – not only for PiP students, but for the broader community in North Kensington. 

“This was a great space in which to host our event; this area of canal is largely overgrown, with a higher number of bindweed that can spread quickly, suffocating other plants, and limiting biodiversity. Ballymore volunteers worked alongside our students to cut it back, while planting new seeds to bring a diverse array of new plants to the towpath for our students to maintain and our community to enjoy. We are hugely grateful to everyone who gave their time to make a big transformation.”

This stretch of the Grand Union Canal will form part of Ballymore’s planned new development at Ladbroke Grove. Partnering with Sainsbury’s, Ballymore hopes to transform an 19-acre expanse of land within an existing community, a place where everyone can flourish. The site is the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s biggest brownfield opportunity, with plans to create areas for living, working, socialising and recreation. Ballymore’s graduate development manager Tilly Gerlikaite is part of the Ladbroke Grove development team and said: “We have immersed ourselves in this community, connecting with local people and organisations as we evolve our designs for Ladbroke Grove. 

“The canal clearance event was another opportunity to work alongside the great people already based in North Kensington; it was a truly rewarding and informative day. I am proud of our Ballymore colleagues – each of whom was enthusiastic from start to finish, indulging in the many tasks at hand, picking up new skills, and meeting some great people. We are really keen to build further meaningful partnerships with local charities and organisations in this area.”

Find out more about PiP here.  

Families and businesses across the UK are feeling the squeeze as interest rates continue to rise through the year. The property sector is also feeling the effects of interest rate increases, with consequences for investors, developers and homebuyers, as Ballymore’s Head of Underwriting David Morris explains.

When the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee voted to raise the base rate last month, it was the UK’s 14th consecutive interest rate rise. It’s difficult to predict where we’ll go from here; higher interest rates increase the cost of borrowing, whether you’re a homebuyer wanting a mortgage or a developer looking to finance a development. That is presenting a more challenging environment at every stage of delivering a development, from financing site acquisitions through to selling new homes.

The rising cost of development finance

Like the cost of borrowing for mortgages, the cost of development finance has escalated dramatically – more than doubling over the past year. As a result, the price at which developers need to sell homes increases to compensate for this.

This cost increase has to be seen in the wider development context where new regulations are placing greater demands on developers in areas like design and sustainability. The sector is getting to grips with complexities like the new building safety requirements, including the need for a second staircase in higher rise buildings, which increases build costs and reduces sale-able space. 

Objectives like these are positive and often essential, but they ultimately increase the price at which we need to sell a home to compensate for the additional costs. Where the price required is above what we believe is achievable the project becomes unviable. 

Tougher investment markets

At the same time, the increase in interest rates is increasing what is referred to as ‘the risk-free rate’, which is the return achieved from government bonds or money in a bank account. If an investor can receive 4.5% or 5% return on a government bond, then they will need to see higher reward for taking additional risk, such as owning real estate. The yield (income of a building divided by purchase price) being demanded by investors increases to compensate for this. Whilst investors were willing to accept 3.5% to 4% yield on real estate 18 months ago, as the ‘risk free rate’ than was almost zero, now investors are demanding yields in excess of 5%. If the income has remained constant, which will be the case for most offices over the past 18 months, then the yield movement results in a c. 25% decrease in value. 

Another factor causing lenders concern, is the ability of investors in the office sector to service their loan facilities. Lenders are doing that by focusing on what’s called the interest coverage ratio (ICR) – which is a metric that measures the difference between the income of the building and the interest on any loan. As interest rates increase and income remains static this metric can cause office owners to default on their loans. 

There have been concerns for some time about post-pandemic office occupancy rates, which, although rising, are still down on pre-pandemic levels. But alongside that, a number of major business names have made environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments about their plans for their office space, and will want to be in the very best buildings. 

This creates a domino effect for older less energy efficient buildings. Their ability to let the building has reduced dramatically so rents are falling, reducing income at the same time as interest rates are rising, increasing costs and yields are widening, decreasing value. It is in some ways a ‘perfect storm’. 

Residential has been less impacted than the office market due to the high demand and lack of supply of quality stock. London did not see significant price increases during COVID 19 compared to other parts of the UK. Construction starts remaining at decade low levels in London, and likely to fall further, mean supply is unlikely to put pressure on house prices. 

Although there was a trend for people to move out of London through the pandemic, there has been a return since and residential rental prices are increasing dramatically. The residential letting market reacts in a much more rapid fashion than commercial letting markets or the residential sale market to external stimuli and we have seen dramatic growth in rents, which generally rise in line with inflation, making the sector an attractive proposition for a pension fund or investor. This is why Build to Rent is likely to become a larger part of Ballymore’s business going forward. 

One dynamic that should be remembered is we are now in an ‘inflationary environment’ and being able to purchase apartments in Ballymore developments two or three years off plan allows investors to benefit from that inflation, locking in a price today, for something you won’t complete on for up to three years, could be very beneficial. That’s important because Ballymore doesn’t just develop buildings; we create places - homes and communities. Prices can rise as completion nears, when the quality of what we’ve created is evident and we’re seeing an investor appetite for quality so we’re in a strong position.

There was exciting news for Edgware this week, as Barnet Council announced the borough’s first Business Improvement District (BID) – helping drive investment of up to £800,000 into the high street.

The BID is the culmination of a campaign led by the Edgware BID steering group. Comprising Ballymore, Transport for London, Barnet Council and local businesses, the group has spent the past year hosting extensive consultations to understand the priorities of businesses in Edgware which is home to Ballymore’s Broadwalk Shopping Centre – a key regeneration site for the local area. 

Speaking of the news, Ballymore Projects Director Simon Ryan said: “We are committed to the transformation of Edgware, and are delighted to see the BID become a reality. This announcement will bring local businesses together to collectively invest in the management and marketing of the town centre, with the aim of revitalising the area’s economy and creating a thriving business community.”

Cllr Anne Clarke, Barnet’s Small Business Champion and Cabinet Member for Community Wealth Building added: “As the first BID in Barnet, the Edgware BID marks an important moment in our partnership with communities and businesses. 

“We care a great deal about our places and the people who live and work in our town centres, and by establishing this BID, we can foster a stronger dialogue between the council and the business community in Edgware. By working together, we hope that we can make Edgware a place for businesses new and old to thrive.”

Ballymore’s involvement in Edgware came in 2020 when the developer acquired the 17,650 sq m shopping centre, which sits on a 7.5 hectare site next to Edgware Underground Station. The Ballymore team is currently evolving designs for the site, with proposals including high-quality new homes and retail, public realm and green spaces and community and leisure facilities; Simon continued: “This is a hugely important site at the heart of Edgware – one which has the potential to unlock the regeneration of the town centre. We are thrilled to be bringing our ideas to the area, consulting with local people to develop a new place that all who live, work and play here can be proud of. 

“Our plans and the establishment of the BID are testament to the potential of Edgware as it becomes a revitalised, vibrant north London destination.” 

BIDs are business-led partnerships that enable coordinated investment in the management and marketing of a commercial area. Governed by legislation to ensure fairness and transparency, a BID is developed through consultation and the creation of a five-year business plan. Edgware BID is the first of its kind in Barnet’s local authority area; read more about it here.

Embassy Gardens played host to a celebration of sustainable style and independent British brands this month, welcoming hundreds of fashion fans to London's Nine Elms for a two-week pop-up with Daily Dress Edit.

The pop-up took over Embassy Gardens’ Oxeye restaurant, creating an immersive style experience that allowed customers to explore the vibrant space – something the Evening Standard called “a colourful bijoux bursting with fab frocks”. Seasonal dressesfrom 50 hand-picked brands including Well Worn, Faune, Smock London and If Only If were displayed around the venue, as well as a collection of limited-edition dresses made from surplus fabric – something known in the industry as deadstock.

Daily Dress Edit Founder Isabel Spearman, who established the brand in 2018, said: “The Daily Dress Edit customer is broad, they’re 25 to 65, and I meet everyone from lawyers and doctors to creatives… but what ties them together is that they are all really proud to support these female independent sustainable brands.”

Guests visiting the pop-up were invited to attend 45-minute style appointments; 120 guests also attended a series of drinks receptions at the pop-up, including Samantha Cameron and leading media figures, DailyTelegraph Fashion Director Bethan Holt, Clare Casey, Director of Global Partnerships for Conde Nast International and Emma Redmayne – Publishing Director of House & Garden.

Eloise Solari, Associate Regional Sales Director at Ballymore, concluded: “We are proud that we were able to support Isabel in her ambitions to create a fairer and more sustainable fashion industry – championing independent brands and giving them a platform to promote their unique collections.

“The pop-up served as a testament to the diverse range of lifestyle brands attracted to Embassy Gardens, reaffirming our commitment to developing a new cultural hub and vibrant neighbourhood in Nine Elms."

Find out more about the Daily Dress Edit here

London City Island is the capital’s newest cultural quarter.

Ballymore’s burgeoning new community is home to myriad creative talent, giving performers and artists a platform on which to share their work and in this new film, we meet some of the  artists who call London City Island their home.

Click here to hear to the views of the Archangelo classical music ensemble – who call London City Island a “great environment for artists”; or stop motion animator Tim Allen who has used London City Island as a base for editing global blockbusters like the Oscar-winning Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of Pinocchio.

The film also features arebyte Gallery, which provides affordable workspaces for up to 150 artists and makers, as well as fashion designers, musicians, music producers and, of course, English National Ballet – the cultural heart of the neighbourhood.

Speaking of the growing community, Ballymore founder and Chairman Sean Mulryan said: “London City Island is home to some incredibly talented artists and performers. Our vision for this neighbourhood was to establish a place which would inspire them – giving them a platform on which they can reach global audiences.

“This film perfectly captures their experiences on the Island; I am delighted to hear their feedback and look forward to seeing the incredible future productions, artworks, and performances that are borne from this area.” 

The film comes in an exciting week for London City Island. Just days ago, guests including Lord Seb Coe headed to the neighbourhood for a celebration of the arts, the focal point of which was the unveiling of a new sculpture. A depiction of two silver ballet shoes, the sculpture was gifted to London City Island by Sean Mulryan and his wife Bernardine, sitting opposite the Mulryan Centre for Dance at English National Ballet. Find out more here.

A new sculpture has been unveiled at Ballymore’s London City Island neighbourhood on the Leamouth Peninsula, recognising the location as east London’s newest cultural quarter. 

The artwork was unveiled by Ballymore's founder, Sean Mulryan alongside Lord Seb Coe who gave a speech on the night. Lord Coe spoke about Sean’s enormous contribution to the regeneration of east London through both his financial support for the 2012 Olympics and his vision and delivery of new communities such as London City Island. 

“I know how Sean sees urban regeneration. I see and understand how Sean views the role that sport and the cultural community make.  The fact that we now have a massive cultural institution here (ENB) is the lynchpin for the area.  This is a huge contribution not only to this area but to the cultural vibrancy of the UK and particularly London.

“To those of you who live and work in this community, continue to build on it because it is an important concept in terms of legacy and what sport, allied to the cultural community, can really produce and that isn’t just infrastructure.  It is about the spirituality of the human existence.”

To watch the full video of Seb Coe's opening speech click here.

Sean and his wife Bernardine gifted the sculpture to the community – testament to their ongoing commitment to the arts, with Sean adding: “This piece is a striking new focal point for London City Island.

“I have always felt strongly about how important arts, culture, and the beauty of nature are to people's sense of wellbeing and quality of life. For this reason, we have ensured that art is at the heart of all our developments. 

“At London City Island, Ballymore has pioneered wider movement of London's creative industries in the east of the city. We hope that residents and visitors enjoy all there is to experience here, and that this new sculpture gives them pause, if only for a moment.”

The sculpture was designed by Colin Spofforth.

In a further boost to the local arts community, Sean Mulryan also announced the launch of a new arts fund initiative, which he has set up with Ian Felton, artist and curator of Trinity Gallery at London City Island’s neighbouring Ballymore development, Goodluck Hope. The fund will provide financial and marketing support to up-and-coming artists, allowing them to develop new works.  Under the initiative, Sean will invest in original artworks. Future editions will then be produced and sold on a royalties basis to drive ongoing revenue for the artist over a five-year period. Ian provides his specialist knowledge of the art market, and support to assist with production and sales.  

The long-term aim is to grow the art fund into a sustainable model that will support artists and enable new collections to be made over many years to come.

Sean explained: “I am passionate about giving up-and-coming artists a platform to share their work. I want to invest in them, creating viable revenue streams that allow them to further their careers, and expose their talent to new audiences.

“I am proud that this initiative, and the sculpture, put an emphasis on art in this area of London and look forward to meeting more emerging artists in the future through the new fund.”  

The unveiling of the sculpture and launch of the fund were celebrated in an evening of music and culture at the Lockdown Room at London City Island, attended by Ballymore colleagues, performers, musicians, and guests. Performances at the event included sets by British rapper Tinie Tempah and DJ Welshy, and a performance by dancers from ENB.

The evening served as further reminder of London City Island’s role in harnessing culture and the arts in the capital. In addition to ENB, a raft of cultural partners have now made their home here, including arebyte Studios - which provides affordable workspaces to up to 150 artists and makers, working across jewellery, design, fine art, animation, digital media, music, fashion, photography, games development, architecture and ceramics – and the London Lighthouse Gallery, a photography studio and gallery for emerging and established artists and photographers.

Musicians have a platform here at  ‘The Woods’ recording studios – home to producer and songwriter Dantae Johnson’s Three Bears Entertainment – which houses music and podcast studios, creative events and rehearsal space. A near neighbour is creative fashion studio Lulu Liu, run by a couture fashion designer who uses 3D technology in her designs and who started out at LCI in the affordable workspaces. And, of course, there is Trinity Art Gallery, offering a platform for both upcoming and established artists.

Sean concluded: “This event was a reminder that our vision for London City Island has become a reality, with the area firmly anchored as the new centre for culture and the arts in London. Once an undeveloped part of the city, London City island is now home to more than 4,000 residents, surrounded by independent artisan restaurants, shops, and lovely outdoor spaces.”

To find out more about London City Island, click here.

To watch the full video featuring some of our creative community who have made their home on the Island click here.

Ecoworld Ballymore, the joint venture partnership responsible for some of London’s most exciting and innovative residential developments, has received the UK-Malaysia Partnership of the Year accolade at the British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards. 

The prestigious award was presented by His Excellency Charles Hay MVO – the British High Commissioner to Malaysia – and recognises successful partnerships that have driven exceptional commercial results and shown significant value-creation to the economy.  

Ecoworld and Ballymore have worked in partnership since 2015, creating new neighbourhoods at London City Island – a 12-acre riverside neighbourhood dubbed a ‘micro-Manhattan’ – and at Wardian where the partners have created two luxury residential towers to the south of Canary Wharf.  

The partners were also responsible for delivering the award-winning Embassy Gardens; home to the world-famous Sky Pool, Embassy Gardens has been described by the Mayor of London as ‘possibly the most important regeneration story in London and the UK’.  

Speaking of the joint venture’s successes, John Mulryan, Group Managing Director for Ballymore said: “We are proud to be recognised alongside our friends at Ecoworld as great partners. Over the past eight years this joint venture has delivered thousands of homes during challenging times for London. Working together we found a way through this and have created new neighbourhoods we believe will stand the test of time.” 

Organisers of the awards ceremony – now in its fourth year – said that winners were “an inspiration to both our nations”, adding “we would like to congratulate all the winners and we thank everyone for being part of this memorable event.”  

Ballymore has now won eight awards for its developments this past year, including two coveted British Homes Awards. A full list of the company’s accolades can be viewed here.

Ballymore（巴利摩）與倫敦遺產發展公司(LLDC)共同組建了一個各占50%股份的合資公司，旨在合作開發伊莉莎白女王奧林匹克公園，給那裏帶來新的住房、就業機會和便民設施。

雙方將攜手推動兩個水畔社區的開發改造專案，其中一個毗鄰新興的東岸社區，該社區將是世界上最令人振奮的、新的文化和教育社區之一。

這一合作將建造近1,200戶急需的新住房——其中Bridgewater三角區建造575套住房(50%產權的經濟房)，Stratford水畔建造600套住房(35%產權的經濟房)，以及一樓的門市房。這些住房將包括多種形式的持有權和戶型，包括聯排別墅、超級公寓和複式公寓。

Stratford水畔是一個占地 0.96 公頃（2.4 英畝）的廢棄工業用地，位於公園的南部，毗鄰東岸（East Bank）。交付後將為BBC音樂臺、Sadler's Wells劇院、V&A博物館和倫敦藝術學院時裝學院（UAL’s）提供新的使用空間。該場地被Waterworks河與Carpenters路所環繞。

Bridgewater三角地也是一塊廢棄工業用地，占地2.4公頃（約5.9英畝），被Waterworks河、The Greenway步道和Pudding Mill Allotments三面環繞。

這兩個開發專案都地處環境優美的伊莉莎白女王奧林匹克公園內，將為居民提供高品質的住宅公寓。居民區周圍遍佈各類舉世矚目的體育場所和文化景點、煥然一新的水道、園林景觀和新興社區，並擁有通往倫敦市中心和首都機場的一流的交通網絡。 Here East和International Quarter London兩個新成立的商業區正在吸引數千個就業機會進入該地區。

LLDC 發展執行總監 Rosanna Lawes表示：“我們非常高興能與巴利摩建立合作夥伴關係，並將在過去10年取得的成就的基礎上再上一層樓。”

“巴利摩將為我們帶來豐富的專業知識和久經考驗的復興改造經驗，以幫助我們創建繁榮的新社區，並通過精心設計的可持續住宅來滿足所有需求。”

巴利摩還將把自己帶有濃郁文化特色的開發專長帶到該地區；作為開發商巴利摩在首都開發重建方面有著備受讚譽的口碑，每個開發專案都獲得文化機構和獨立企業支持。

集團董事總經理John Mulryan希望巴利摩與文化緊密融合的開發方式可以在新專案中得到應用，並補充說：“LLDC在創造和吸引一些頂級的文化和教育品牌到東岸方面發揮了重要作用。我們很高興能夠與LLDC合作，以社區和文化為核心在這個令人嚮往的地區開發重建一個全新的住宅區。”

“巴利摩的戰略重點一直是與公共機構建立大規模戰略合作夥伴關係，而這次合作符合我們這一目標。”

合資公司希望在2028年之前完成Stratford水畔和Bridgewater三角區的住宅開發專案。

巴利摩（Ballymore）於7月29日向都柏林市政府提交了對歷史悠久的聖詹姆斯門（St. James’s Gate）遺址改造開發的規劃申請，該計畫致力於將位於都柏林第8區Guinness Quarter（健力士總部）打造成為一個世界級的、現代化的、充滿活力的城市社區。

巴利摩與帝亞吉歐 (Diageo) 攜手為聖詹姆斯門開發專案制定一個總體規劃，通過創造一個緊密融合的聯合體，將住宅、社區、創業、創意、可持續發展、商業、文化和公共空間完美融為一體，同時保留該地區獨特的建築遺產，輔以精心考量的高品質的建築和城市設計的最佳元素，將這一願景變為現實。總體規劃是根據對現有釀酒廠場和周邊環境的結構、高度和整體規劃為依據而精心塑造和設計的。

該計畫的主要特點包括：

• 一個可供文化和社區活動使用的固定和靈活的室內室外活動空間，包括一個多功能靈活使用空間，可以滿足各種需求，如可作為容納約300個座位的演出場地。
• 超過2英畝的公共景觀空間。
• 一個充滿活力和令人嚮往的美食廣場，將成為人們品嘗和體驗不同地區、國家和國際美食的最佳場所。
• 一個展示地方、區域和國家不同範圍的出產商和創作者的市場。
• 商業工作空間，旨在滿足大型、中型和小型企業的可持續性組合的需求。
• 336套住房，包括一、二、三居室公寓，涵蓋購買、租賃和福利住房等多種形式。該計畫的願景是讓Iveagh Trust成為福利住房的合作夥伴。
• 該開發專案包含一個位於專案開發中心的自行車停車基礎設施，可容納2,000個自行車的停車位。
• 還設有酒店，以滿足到該地區休閒觀光的遊客和商務人士的住宿需求。
• 對文化遺產建築進行翻新、改造和擴建，並保留重要的關鍵特色。

作為歐洲最大的重建專案的先驅，巴利摩將其多年積累的豐富經驗帶到這個具有里程碑意義的城市改建專案中來。巴利摩的集團主席兼首席執行官Sean Mulryan表示：“這是現代化的、敏銳的和具有高度可持續性的最佳城市設計，巴利摩很榮幸能夠成為該遺產建築的保護者，同時為都柏林這一重要地區續寫了歷史與文化傳承的新篇章。”

“通過平衡新的總體規劃和深思熟慮考慮的維護措施，這一建築遺產正在被重新利用並被賦予新的生命。我們的願景是將聖詹姆斯門重建成可持續發展的城市最佳典範，保護都柏林8區和Liberties這一部分的文化、社區、社會和工業遺產。” 他又補充道：“這將是一個讓都柏林的每個人都為之自豪與享受的開發專案。”

帝亞吉歐愛爾蘭公司總經理Barry O'Sullivan認為：“健力士和聖詹姆斯門的歷史與遺產對都柏林和當地居民來說是非常重要的。它是一個獨具特色的地方。開發計畫在尊重這個社區歷史的同時，也將其打造成歐洲最具活力的社區之一。”

“這使我們能夠繼續延續我們在都柏林8區進行的幾個世紀的釀酒業務，同時也將該地區發展成為一個真正現代化的生活、工作和娛樂場所。我們在與當地社區進行了廣泛的接觸後，制定了這一計畫，並期待著在打造健力士總部的下一階段開展進一步的溝通與對話。”

巴利摩和帝亞吉歐已經將可持續發展作為他們對健力士總部改建的核心。他們的共同目標是創建都柏林第一個零碳排放區，尊重更廣泛的社區和自然環境。

自2017年以來，對健力士總部的改造牽動了當地社區，其中超過120個社區團體、公眾代表、當地企業等廣泛地參與發表意見。

巴利摩（Ballymore）于7月29日向都柏林市政府提交了对历史悠久的圣詹姆斯门（St. James’s Gate）遗址改造开发的规划申请，该计划致力于将位于都柏林第8区Guinness Quarter（健力士总部）打造成为一个世界级的、现代化的、充满活力的城市社区。

巴利摩与帝亚吉欧 (Diageo) 携手为圣詹姆斯门开发项目制定一个总体规划，通过创造一个紧密融合的联合体，将住宅、社区、创业、创意、可持续发展、商业、文化和公共空间完美融为一体，同时保留该地区独特的建筑遗产，辅以精心考量的高品质的建筑和城市设计的最佳元素，将这一愿景变为现实。总体规划是根据对现有酿酒厂场和周边环境的结构、高度和整体规划为依据而精心塑造和设计的。

该计划的主要特点包括：

• 一个可供文化和社区活动使用的固定和灵活的室内室外活动空间，包括一个多功能灵活使用空间，可以满足各种需求，如可作为容纳约300个座位的演出场地。
• 超过2英亩的公共景观空间。
• 一个充满活力和令人向往的美食广场，将成为人们品尝和体验不同地区、国家和国际美食的最佳场所。
• 一个展示地方、区域和国家不同范围的出产商和创作者的市场。
• 商业工作空间，旨在满足大型、中型和小型企业的可持续性组合的需求。
• 336套住房，包括一、二、三居室公寓，涵盖购买、租赁和福利住房等多种形式。该计划的愿景是让Iveagh Trust成为福利住房的合作伙伴。
• 该开发项目包含一个位于项目开发中心的自行车停车基础设施，可容纳2,000个自行车的停车位。
• 还设有酒店，以满足到该地区休闲观光的游客和商务人士的住宿需求。
• 对文化遗产建筑进行翻新、改造和扩建，并保留重要的关键特色。

作为欧洲最大的重建项目的先驱，巴利摩将其多年积累的丰富经验带到这个具有里程碑意义的城市改建项目中来。巴利摩的集团主席兼首席执行官Sean Mulryan表示：“这是现代化的、敏锐的和具有高度可持续性的最佳城市设计，巴利摩很荣幸能够成为该遗产建筑的保护者，同时为都柏林这一重要地区续写了历史与文化传承的新篇章。”

“通过平衡新的总体规划和深思熟虑考虑的维护措施，这一建筑遗产正在被重新利用并被赋予新的生命。我们的愿景是将圣詹姆斯门重建成可持续发展的城市最佳典范，保护都柏林8区和Liberties这一部分的文化、社区、社会和工业遗产。” 他又补充道：“这将是一个让都柏林的每个人都为之自豪与享受的开发项目。”

帝亚吉欧爱尔兰公司总经理Barry O'Sullivan认为：“健力士和圣詹姆斯门的历史与遗产对都柏林和当地居民来说是非常重要的。它是一个独具特色的地方。开发计划在尊重这个社区历史的同时，也将其打造成欧洲最具活力的社区之一。”

“这使我们能够继续延续我们在都柏林8区进行的几个世纪的酿酒业务，同时也将该地区发展成为一个真正现代化的生活、工作和娱乐场所。我们在与当地社区进行了广泛的接触后，制定了这一计划，并期待着在打造健力士总部的下一阶段开展进一步的沟通与对话。”

巴利摩和帝亚吉欧已经将可持续发展作为他们对健力士总部改建的核心。他们的共同目标是创建都柏林第一个零碳排放区，尊重更广泛的社区和自然环境。

自2017年以来，对健力士总部的改造牵动了当地社区，其中超过120个社区团体、公众代表、当地企业等广泛地参与发表意见。

Ballymore（巴利摩）与伦敦遗产发展公司(LLDC)共同组建了一个各占50%股份的合资公司，旨在合作开发伊丽莎白女王奥林匹克公园，给那里带来新的住房、就业机会和便民设施。

双方将携手推动两个水畔社区的开发改造项目，其中一个毗邻新兴的东岸社区，该社区将是世界上最令人振奋的、新的文化和教育社区之一。

这一合作将建造近1,200户急需的新住房——其中Bridgewater三角区建造575套住房(50%产权的经济房)，Stratford水畔建造600套住房(35%产权的经济房)，以及一楼的门市房。这些住房将包括多种形式的持有权和户型，包括联排别墅、超级公寓和复式公寓。

Stratford水畔是一个占地 0.96 公顷（2.4 英亩）的废弃工业用地，位于公园的南部，毗邻东岸（East Bank）。交付后将为BBC音乐台、Sadler's Wells剧院、V&A博物馆和伦敦艺术学院时装学院（UAL’s）提供新的使用空间。该场地被Waterworks河与Carpenters路所环绕。

Bridgewater三角地也是一块废弃工业用地，占地2.4公顷（约5.9英亩），被Waterworks河、The Greenway步道和Pudding Mill Allotments三面环绕。

这两个开发项目都地处环境优美的伊丽莎白女王奥林匹克公园内，将为居民提供高品质的住宅公寓。居民区周围遍布各类举世瞩目的体育场所和文化景点、焕然一新的水道、园林景观和新兴社区，并拥有通往伦敦市中心和首都机场的一流的交通网络。 Here East和International Quarter London两个新成立的商业区正在吸引数千个就业机会进入该地区。

LLDC 发展执行总监 Rosanna Lawes表示：“我们非常高兴能与巴利摩建立合作伙伴关系，并将在过去10年取得的成就的基础上再上一层楼。”

“巴利摩将为我们带来丰富的专业知识和久经考验的复兴改造经验，以帮助我们创建繁荣的新社区，并通过精心设计的可持续住宅来满足所有需求。”

巴利摩还将把自己带有浓郁文化特色的开发专长带到该地区；作为开发商巴利摩在首都开发重建方面有着备受赞誉的口碑，每个开发项目都获得文化机构和独立企业支持。

集团董事总经理John Mulryan希望巴利摩与文化紧密融合的开发方式可以在新项目中得到应用，并补充说：“LLDC在创造和吸引一些顶级的文化和教育品牌到东岸方面发挥了重要作用。我们很高兴能够与LLDC合作，以社区和文化为核心在这个令人向往的地区开发重建一个全新的住宅区。”

“巴利摩的战略重点一直是与公共机构建立大规模战略合作伙伴关系，而这次合作符合我们这一目标。”

合资公司希望在2028年之前完成Stratford水畔和Bridgewater三角区的住宅开发项目。

巴利摩（Ballymore）的主席兼首席執行官Sean Mulryan和皇家美術基金會主席， 英國皇家建築學會榮譽院士Stephen Bayley 在大使館花園區的九榆樹公園（Nine Elms Park）首次種植了九棵榆樹，這是為了回應“女王綠色覆蓋計畫”的倡議，同時也是為了紀念已故的伊莉莎白二世女王陛下。

Sean Mulryan近期成為皇家美術基金會的顧問之一，該慈善機構旨在促進建築規劃中的高質量的環境設計。皇家美術基金會成立於1987年，它是皇家美術委員會的輔助機構，皇家美術基金會是英國政府的獨立顧問，負責處理英格蘭公共環境和美學事務。在過去的30年裏，該基金會致力於促進視覺意識和公眾對高品質規劃設計的鑒賞能力，如通過教育舉措以及即將舉行的建築之美獎等形式（巴利摩以能夠贊助該獎項而引以自豪）。

該基金會主席Stephen Bayley是英國著名的作家、評論家、專欄作家、顧問、播音主持、辯論家和策展人......自20世紀80年代以來，他也被業界一直尊稱為“設計大師”。

他曾是“供暖房專案”的創始人，這是英國首個永久性展覽，設於V&A博物館，後來演變成倫敦獨特的設計博物館，由Stephen Bayley擔任首席執行官，並於1989年由當時的首相瑪格麗特·柴契爾夫人（Margaret Hilda Thatcher）親臨揭幕。

“女王綠色覆蓋計畫”始於2021年5月，為紀念當時即將到來的伊莉莎白二世女王陛下登基70年的白金慶典（2022年），該計畫旨在增加和保護英國本土的樹木覆蓋率，為女王登基70周年慶典奉獻一個“特別的禮物”。

巴利摩（Ballymore）的主席兼首席执行官Sean Mulryan和皇家美术基金会主席， 英国皇家建筑学会荣誉院士Stephen Bayley 在大使馆花园区的九榆树公园（Nine Elms Park）首次种植了九棵榆树，这是为了响应“女王绿色覆盖计划”的倡议，同时也是为了纪念已故的伊丽莎白二世女王陛下。

Sean Mulryan近期成为皇家美术基金会的顾问之一，该慈善机构旨在促进建筑规划中的高质量的环境设计。皇家美术基金会成立于1987年，它是皇家美术委员会的辅助机构，皇家美术基金会是英国政府的独立顾问，负责处理英格兰公共环境和美学事务。在过去的30年里，该基金会致力于促进视觉意识和公众对高品质规划设计的鉴赏能力，如通过教育举措以及即将举行的建筑之美奖等形式（巴利摩以能够赞助该奖项而引以自豪）。

该基金会主席Stephen Bayley是英国著名的作家、评论家、专栏作家、顾问、播音主持、辩论家和策展人......自20世纪80年代以来，他也被业界一直尊称为“设计大师”。

他曾是“供暖房项目”的创始人，这是英国首个永久性展览，设于V&A博物馆，后来演变成伦敦独特的设计博物馆，由Stephen Bayley担任首席执行官，并于1989年由当时的首相玛格丽特·撒切尔夫人（Margaret Hilda Thatcher）亲临揭幕。

“女王绿色覆盖计划”始于2021年5月，为纪念当时即将到来的伊丽莎白二世女王陛下登基70年的白金庆典（2022年），该计划旨在增加和保护英国本土的树木覆盖率，为女王登基70周年庆典奉献一个“特别的礼物”。

巴利摩位於伯明翰的開發專案Three Snowhill在2022年榮獲了英國寫字樓協會(BCO)的大獎，該獎項是BCO在英國範圍內為表彰高品質專案而設立的最高榮譽。

Three Snowhill是倫敦以外有史以來最大的城市中心自主投資辦公樓專案，吸引了包括英國電信BT在內的租戶。巴利摩於2020年完成了這個專案，為客戶提供了420,000平方英尺、18層樓的一流甲級辦公空間。該大樓建有一個中央玻璃頂的中庭、停車場、健身房以及包含寬敞的更衣室、淋浴間、儲物櫃、桑拿浴室、自行車停車場和維修設施在內的地下公共設施。

BCO的評委稱這座建築是“富有遠見的甲級開發專案”，大樓的設施、樓層設計和對伯明翰城市景觀的提升都讚賞有加。評委們還肯定了該建築的碳排放方面的效益；對設計和施工性能進行了仔細而全面地評估，達到了BREEAM卓越級別、EPC B和WiredScore白金等級100/100的優異成績。

Three Snowhill是在伯明翰Colmore商業區Snow Hill車站附近的4英畝土地上建造的第三座也是最後一座建築。這個重要的專案共創造了三座最先進的大樓，提供總計一百萬平方英尺的辦公空間。巴利摩還在St Chad's Circus環形交通樞紐旁邊創建了一個新的廣場，還為Midland Metro輕軌延伸線修建了一座新的高架橋。

巴利摩集團總經理John Mulryan表示：“從一開始，我們的Snowhill計畫就突破了界限。我們的願景是，這個伯明翰市中心的黃金地段可以並且將成為該市的首選商業地點。我們榮獲的這個獎項證明了這一點以及我們的可持續設計方法，並為在這裏蓬勃發展的知名企業打造了一個理想的家園。”

"祝賀巴利摩團隊中每個參與這一激動人心專案的成員，這個獎項名至實歸，當之無愧。"

該獎項是Snowhill專案在過去一年中獲得的第三個獎項，巴利摩在這個過程中已經摘得七個獎項。

巴利摩位于伯明翰的开发项目Three Snowhill在2022年荣获了英国写字楼协会(BCO)的大奖，该奖项是BCO在英国范围内为表彰高品质项目而设立的最高荣誉。

Three Snowhill是伦敦以外有史以来最大的城市中心自主投资办公楼项目，吸引了包括英国电信BT在内的租户。巴利摩于2020年完成了这个项目，为客户提供了420,000平方英尺、18层楼的一流甲级办公空间。该大楼建有一个中央玻璃顶的中庭、停车场、健身房以及包含宽敞的更衣室、淋浴间、储物柜、桑拿浴室、自行车停车场和维修设施在内的地下公共设施。

BCO的评委称这座建筑是“富有远见的甲级开发项目”，大楼的设施、楼层设计和对伯明翰城市景观的提升都赞赏有加。评委们还肯定了该建筑的碳排放方面的效益；对设计和施工性能进行了仔细而全面地评估，达到了BREEAM卓越级别、EPC B和WiredScore白金等级100/100的优异成绩。

Three Snowhill是在伯明翰Colmore商业区Snow Hill车站附近的4英亩土地上建造的第三座也是最后一座建筑。这个重要的项目共创造了三座最先进的大楼，提供总计一百万平方英尺的办公空间。巴利摩还在St Chad's Circus环形交通枢纽旁边创建了一个新的广场，还为Midland Metro轻轨延伸线修建了一座新的高架桥。

巴利摩集团总经理John Mulryan表示：“从一开始，我们的Snowhill计划就突破了界限。我们的愿景是，这个伯明翰市中心的黄金地段可以并且将成为该市的首选商业地点。我们荣获的这个奖项证明了这一点以及我们的可持续设计方法，并为在这里蓬勃发展的知名企业打造了一个理想的家园。”

"祝贺巴利摩团队中每个参与这一激动人心项目的成员，这个奖项名至实归，当之无愧。"

该奖项是Snowhill项目在过去一年中获得的第三个奖项，巴利摩在这个过程中已经摘得七个奖项。

巴利摩（Ballymore）集團提交的都柏林拱門（Dublin Arch）綜合開發專案的二期工程規劃獲得批准，該專案位於都柏林一區的Connolly火車站旁。

都柏林拱門第二階段開發專案總面積達72,300平方米，包括兩棟住宅樓和四所辦公大樓，所有建築都可俯瞰一個全新的中央公共空間。四所辦公大樓可容納超過5,000名的員工，辦公大樓內還設有景觀花園、露臺和屋頂花園。兩棟住宅樓將提供187個單元，包括開間套房、一臥室、兩臥室和三臥室公寓。

巴利摩董事長兼首席執行官Sean Mulryan對這一決定表示歡迎，並表示：“我們非常高興地與大家分享這個好消息，我們已經獲得都柏林拱門專案下一階段的開發許可。巴利摩集團很榮幸能夠為都柏林市中心地段的發展和提升做出貢獻，我們也為通過我們的努力將這裏打造成人們世代安居樂業的美好環境而自豪。都柏林拱門專案將成為可持續發展的典範，並致力於在2030年實現淨零排放，獲得最高級別的可持續發展的認證。”

都柏林拱門改建專案還包括文化和零售空間、咖啡廳，Docklands拳擊俱樂部和聖約瑟夫奧康奈爾男子田徑俱樂部也將在這裏落戶，並以全新設施與公眾見面。這裏還包括超過7,000平方米的公共開放空間，以及為居民、遊客和公司員工提供的超過1,000個自行車停車位。

都柏林拱門開發專案位於Connolly火車站附近，被Sheriff St Lower、Commons St 和Oriel St三條街道所環繞。總面積約為111,000平方米，包括住宅樓、辦公樓和愛爾蘭第一家Standard酒店。總體規劃設計包括新住宅、辦公樓、社區俱樂部、藝術家工作室、餐廳、酒吧、零售店、園林景觀以及位於該核心位置的中央廣場。都柏林拱門專案將直接連通Connolly火車站，還靠近公共汽車站和Luas輕軌，將成為愛爾蘭與周邊聯繫最緊密的商業中心。

巴利摩（Ballymore）集团提交的都柏林拱门（Dublin Arch）综合开发项目的二期工程规划获得批准，该项目位于都柏林一区的Connolly火车站旁。

都柏林拱门第二阶段开发项目总面积达72,300平方米，包括两栋住宅楼和四所办公大楼，所有建筑都可俯瞰一个全新的中央公共空间。四所办公大楼可容纳超过5,000名的员工，办公大楼内还设有景观花园、露台和屋顶花园。两栋住宅楼将提供187个单元，包括开间套房、一卧室、两卧室和三卧室公寓。

巴利摩董事长兼首席执行官Sean Mulryan对这一决定表示欢迎，并表示：“我们非常高兴地与大家分享这个好消息，我们已经获得都柏林拱门项目下一阶段的开发许可。巴利摩集团很荣幸能够为都柏林市中心地段的发展和提升做出贡献，我们也为通过我们的努力将这里打造成人们世代安居乐业的美好环境而自豪。都柏林拱门项目将成为可持续发展的典范，并致力于在2030年实现净零排放，获得最高级别的可持续发展的认证。”

都柏林拱门改建项目还包括文化和零售空间、咖啡厅，Docklands拳击俱乐部和圣约瑟夫奥康奈尔男子田径俱乐部也将在这里落户，并以全新设施与公众见面。这里还包括超过7,000平方米的公共开放空间，以及为居民、游客和公司员工提供的超过1,000个自行车停车位。

都柏林拱门开发项目位于Connolly火车站附近，被Sheriff St Lower、Commons St 和Oriel St三条街道所环绕。总面积约为111,000平方米，包括住宅楼、办公楼和爱尔兰第一家Standard酒店。总体规划设计包括新住宅、办公楼、社区俱乐部、艺术家工作室、餐厅、酒吧、零售店、园林景观以及位于该核心位置的中央广场。都柏林拱门项目将直接连通Connolly火车站，还靠近公共汽车站和Luas轻轨，将成为爱尔兰与周边联系最紧密的商业中心。

巴利摩（Ballymore）位於東倫敦利茅斯半島的開發專案——幸運島（Goodluck Hope）在今年倫敦建築規劃大獎中榮獲了“最佳居住地”的稱號。

 7月20日頒獎典禮在倫敦市政廳舉行，副市長Jules Pipe為獲獎的巴利摩集團以及規劃師Rolfe Judd頒獎。  

評審團表示：他們對這個參賽專案印象特別深刻，這裏不僅利用了其獨特的地理位置打造出特有的地方感與社區感，而且還傳承了幸運島悠久的工業歷史，成為了那段輝煌工業歷史最好的見證地。

評審團還補充說：“巴利摩和他們的團隊在利河河口打造的專案就好像是當地一顆熠熠生輝的小寶石，那裏曾一度成為一片荒蕪的工業廢墟。如果您想參觀一個令人讚歎的地方改造工程，那就去參觀幸運島吧。”

巴利摩的專案總監Simon Ryan和Matt Stone表示：“巴利摩建造了一個全方位服務、景觀優雅迷人並且欣欣向榮的新社區，讓這個封塵已久的河畔社區成為人們趨之若鶩的休閒之所。”

 “隨著巴利摩倫敦城市島專案的推進，Leamouth半島的北部也得到迅速的改造，這裏成為倫敦主要的藝術與文化中心之一，而幸運島專案距離倫敦城市島專案僅三分鐘步行之遙，至此整個半島被打造成人們所嚮往的河畔生活地標。”  

該專案是由Allies and Morrison建築設計公司設計，Rolfe Judd規劃諮詢公司提供的專業支持。

巴利摩（Ballymore）位于东伦敦利茅斯半岛的开发项目——幸运岛（Goodluck Hope）在今年伦敦建筑规划大奖中荣获了“最佳居住地”的称号。

 7月20日颁奖典礼在伦敦市政厅举行，副市长Jules Pipe为获奖的巴利摩集团以及规划师Rolfe Judd颁奖。 

评审团表示：他们对这个参赛项目印象特别深刻，这里不仅利用了其独特的地理位置打造出特有的地方感与社区感，而且还传承了幸运岛悠久的工业历史，成为了那段辉煌工业历史最好的见证地。

评审团还补充说：“巴利摩和他们的团队在利河河口打造的项目就好象是当地一颗熠熠生辉的小宝石，那里曾一度成为一片荒芜的工业废墟。如果您想参观一个令人赞叹的地方改造工程，那就去参观幸运岛吧。”

巴利摩的项目总监Simon Ryan和Matt Stone表示：“巴利摩建造了一个全方位服务、景观优雅迷人并且欣欣向荣的新社区，让这个封尘已久的河畔社区成为人们趋之若鹜的休闲之所。”

 “随着巴利摩伦敦城市岛项目的推进，Leamouth半岛的北部也得到迅速的改造，这里成为伦敦主要的艺术与文化中心之一，而幸运岛项目距离伦敦城市岛项目仅三分钟步行之遥，至此整个半岛被打造成人们所向往的河畔生活地标。” 

该项目是由Allies and Morrison建筑设计公司设计，Rolfe Judd规划咨询公司提供的专业支持。

2022年9月30日，英國住宅獎頒獎典禮在倫敦萊斯特廣場的Londoner Hotel舉行，巴利摩（Ballymore）榮膺年度最佳房地產開發商稱號。

在頒獎典禮上，巴利摩還憑藉幸運島（Goodluck Hope）摘取了年度最佳開發專案獎（超過100個單元類別）。幸運島是一個散發著濃厚工業風格魅力的住宅區，位於Leamouth半島上，開發專案總體包括841個公寓、閣樓和聯排別墅。這裏有優美的園林景觀、設計典雅的庭院以及將整個社區連為一體的設計巧妙的庭院步道。

評審團對巴利摩的成就讚不絕口，他們認為：“在這個非常有限的區域，取得這樣的重大的成就，實屬不易，令人嘆服……整個設計與施工都是經過精心考量的，幸運島樓盤令人印象深刻。”

英國住宅獎這個一年一度的頒獎活動旨在表彰建築業在建築和室內設計、建築品質和創新等方面的卓越成就，無論是一次性住宅還是大型開發專案均在其考慮範圍之內。

在摘取這兩個獎項之後，巴利摩今年已經將五個獎項囊括懷中。其他三個分別是倫敦皇家建築師協會頒發給皇家碼頭（Royal Wharf）的榮譽稱號；英國辦公委員會頒發給伯明翰的Three Snowhill的優秀工作場所獎，以及巴利摩在都柏林的Dublin Landings——一個占地100萬平方英尺的綜合開發專案中榮獲的城市設計獎和建築獎。

對於獲得兩項大獎的消息，Ballymore集團總經理John Mulryan表示：“我們非常高興不是贏得了一個獎項，而是兩個獎項！因為英國住宅獎在我們行業中是備受推崇的，這個榮譽是對巴利摩集團在英國和愛爾蘭開發專案中所打造的令人驚歎全新社區的充分肯定。”

“這份榮耀不僅是幸運島開發專案參與者的共同努力，也歸功於巴利摩的所有員工，他們為打造人們理想的居所、舒適的工作環境以及有歸屬感的高品質社區等方面做出了的巨大貢獻。”

2022年9月30日，英国住宅奖颁奖典礼在伦敦莱斯特广场的Londoner Hotel举行，巴利摩（Ballymore）荣膺年度最佳房地产开发商称号。

在颁奖典礼上，巴利摩还凭借幸运岛（Goodluck Hope）摘取了年度最佳开发项目奖（超过100个单元类别）。幸运岛是一个散发着浓厚工业风格魅力的住宅区，位于Leamouth半岛上，开发项目总体包括841个公寓、阁楼和联排别墅。这里有优美的园林景观、设计典雅的庭院以及将整个社区连为一体的设计巧妙的庭院步道。

评审团对巴利摩的成就赞不绝口，他们认为：“在这个非常有限的区域，取得这样的重大的成就，实属不易，令人叹服……整个设计与施工都是经过精心考量的，幸运岛楼盘令人印象深刻。”

英国住宅奖这个一年一度的颁奖活动旨在表彰建筑业在建筑和室内设计、建筑质量和创新等方面的卓越成就，无论是一次性住宅还是大型开发项目均在其考虑范围之内。

在摘取这两个奖项之后，巴利摩今年已经将五个奖项囊括怀中。其他三个分别是伦敦皇家建筑师协会颁发给皇家码头（Royal Wharf）的荣誉称号；英国办公委员会颁发给伯明翰的Three Snowhill的优秀工作场所奖，以及巴利摩在都柏林的Dublin Landings——一个占地100万平方英尺的综合开发项目中荣获的城市设计奖和建筑奖。

对于获得两项大奖的消息，Ballymore集团总经理John Mulryan表示：“我们非常高兴不是赢得了一个奖项，而是两个奖项！因为英国住宅奖在我们行业中是备受推崇的，这个荣誉是对巴利摩集团在英国和爱尔兰开发项目中所打造的令人惊叹全新社区的充分肯定。”

“这份荣耀不仅是幸运岛开发项目参与者的共同努力，也归功于巴利摩的所有员工，他们为打造人们理想的居所、舒适的工作环境以及有归属感的高品质社区等方面做出了的巨大贡献。”

巴利摩（Ballymore）與倫敦交通局（TfL）所屬商業地產公司TTL地產有限公司（TTLP）已正式達成協議將他們在Edgware地區所擁有的土地合併，並與倫敦Barnet市政府合作，將Station Road改建成一個繁榮昌盛，充滿活力，令人們所嚮往的高街，提升Edgware地區的品味，以期實現他們共同的願景。  

巴利摩在2020年收購了占地7.5英畝的Broadwalk購物中心，是開啟區中心復興工程的關鍵。巴利摩與擁有周邊公共汽車站及大型汽車終點停車場的英國交通局合作，將充分發掘該地區的潛力。該專案將重建一個現代化的公共汽車站及公共汽車終點車場，會極大地方便人們在Edgware地區的旅行，抵達主要購物區和住宅區也是更加便捷。Ballymore將在本次戰略合作中持有主要股份。

Edgware區中心廣受當地居民的喜愛，擁有各種設施，令人流連往返，為Barnet區和鄰近的Harrow區的社區提供廣泛的購物、餐飲及各項生活服務。就像英國許多區中心和高街一樣，Edgware地區的經濟在很大程度上依賴於高街零售商和商業辦公樓的成功運作，這些企業在近幾年承受著很大的壓力，導致一些主要店面的關閉，並且這種趨勢還在不斷增長。在一些地區，甚至出現殘破的商業門面以及一些不良社會行為的現象。  

巴利摩集團董事總經理John Mulryan說。"我們長期以來一直致力與各個機構創建夥伴關係，並成功地在倫敦各地打造新的住宅區和多功能用途的綜合社區。

"Edgware鎮擁有便利的設施和便捷的公共交通，是一個具有巨大潛力的城鎮，在商業街的改建中需要注入一種全新的模式。我們期待著與倫敦交通局和Barnet區政府的合作，實現我們的共同願景，即為現代城市生活打造一個傑出的，繁榮的商業區，具有綜合功能的公共空間，四通八達的交通網絡，集休閒、娛樂、文化生活等於一體的豐富多彩的全新家園。"  

倫敦交通局房地產開發主管Peter Elliott表示："我們非常高興與巴利摩集團、以及當地政府合作，來振興Edgware區中心。我們將共同合作為居民提供高品質的住宅和優質的零售空間，同時為當地社區帶來其他益處，包括更好的交通設施、公共領域和社區休閒設施。"  

自2020年收購該地段以來，巴利摩與倫敦交通局合作，進行了廣泛的公眾諮詢，以全面瞭解區中心的現狀及當地居民對未來的期許。此外，倫敦Barnet市政府、巴利摩和倫敦交通局都是區中心指導小組的創始成員，該小組旨在改善區中心市容，增強社區活力，其長期目標是建立一個商業改進區（BID），使當地眾多企業能夠共同投資，並改善當地的貿易環境。  

Barnet市政府發展部主任Stephen McDonald補充說："我們很高興看到這個專案又向前邁進了一步，這是區政府整體規劃的一個重要部分，以鞏固和提升了Edgware作為倫敦主要城區中心的地位，更好地滿足居住和工作在此的居民的需求。"

巴利摩（Ballymore）与伦敦交通局（TfL）所属商业地产公司TTL地产有限公司（TTLP）已正式达成协议将他们在Edgware地区所拥有的土地合并，并与伦敦Barnet市政府合作，将Station Road改建成一个繁荣昌盛，充满活力，令人们所向往的高街，提升Edgware地区的品味，以期实现他们共同的愿景。 

巴利摩在2020年收购了占地7.5英亩的Broadwalk购物中心，是开启区中心复兴工程的关键。巴利摩与拥有周边公共汽车站及大型汽车终点停车场的英国交通局合作，将充分发掘该地区的潜力。该项目将重建一个现代化的公共汽车站及公共汽车终点车场，会极大地方便人们在Edgware地区的旅行，抵达主要购物区和住宅区也是更加便捷。Ballymore将在本次战略合作中持有主要股份。

Edgware区中心广受当地居民的喜爱，拥有各种设施，令人流连往返，为Barnet区和邻近的Harrow区的社区提供广泛的购物、餐饮及各项生活服务。就像英国许多区中心和高街一样，Edgware地区的经济在很大程度上依赖于高街零售商和商业办公楼的成功运作，这些企业在近几年承受着很大的压力，导致一些主要店面的关闭，并且这种趋势还在不断增长。在一些地区，甚至出现残破的商业门面以及一些不良社会行为的现象。 

巴利摩集团董事总经理John Mulryan说。"我们长期以来一直致力与各个机构创建伙伴关系，并成功地在伦敦各地打造新的住宅区和多功能用途的综合社区。

"Edgware镇拥有便利的设施和便捷的公共交通，是一个具有巨大潜力的城镇，在商业街的改建中需要注入一种全新的模式。我们期待着与伦敦交通局和Barnet区政府的合作，实现我们的共同愿景，即为现代城市生活打造一个杰出的，繁荣的商业区，具有综合功能的公共空间，四通八达的交通网络，集休闲、娱乐、文化生活等于一体的丰富多彩的全新家园。"  

伦敦交通局房地产开发主管Peter Elliott表示："我们非常高兴与巴利摩集团、以及当地政府合作，来振兴Edgware区中心。我们将共同合作为居民提供高品质的住宅和优质的零售空间，同时为当地社区带来其他益处，包括更好的交通设施、公共领域和社区休闲设施。"  

自2020年收购该地段以来，巴利摩与伦敦交通局合作，进行了广泛的公众咨询，以全面了解区中心的现状及当地居民对未来的期许。此外，伦敦Barnet市政府、巴利摩和伦敦交通局都是区中心指导小组的创始成员，该小组旨在改善区中心市容，增强社区活力，其长期目标是建立一个商业改进区（BID），使当地众多企业能够共同投资，并改善当地的贸易环境。  

Barnet市政府发展部主任Stephen McDonald补充说："我们很高兴看到这个项目又向前迈进了一步，这是区政府整体规划的一个重要部分，以巩固和提升了Edgware作为伦敦主要城区中心的地位，更好地满足居住和工作在此的居民的需求。"

 Tintagel Castle步行天橋坐落在如詩如畫的康沃爾郡，那裏是傳奇亞瑟王的故鄉，在首屆“不列顛建築之美”評獎中Tintagel Castle步行天橋摘得桂冠。該獎項由皇家美術基金會（Royal Fine Art Commission Trust）主辦，Ballymore（巴利摩）集團贊助承辦。

不列顛新建築之美獎於今年首次推出，旨在表彰為英國整體環境“增添建築之美“的建築、土木工程和城市景觀。

新建築之美獎的創始人、評委和備受讚譽的建築評論家Stephen Bayley曾經表示：“我希望這些獎項能夠激發公眾的想像力，來表彰那些設計師的卓越創意，這種方式前所未有，但卻是最恰到好處的一種方式。”

Ballymore集團的董事長兼首席執行官Sean Mulryan也是皇家美術基金會的顧問成員之一，他也是著名的倫敦彭博社歐洲總部頒獎典禮的嘉賓。

本次摘得桂冠的作品——Tintagel Castle步行天橋，由William Matthews Associates和Ney＆Partners設計。這座步行橋長70米，於2020年由查爾斯國王親自剪綵開通，是500多年來首次將城堡範圍內的兩個相隔的區域連接起來。評委們對建築師在如此複雜的地貌上精心設計與建造的步行橋給予了高度評價。

其他獲獎建築包括曼徹斯特的Tower of Light（燈塔）、倫敦的Illuminated River（霓彩河流）和斯特拉特福德的McGrath Road建築。

新建築之美獎的評審團是由業界知名的翹楚所組成，包括皇家美術基金會的主席福斯特勳爵（Lord Foster），也是本期典禮的頒獎嘉賓，以及世界建築節（World Architecture Festival）的專案總監Paul Finch。

皇家美術基金會成立於2017年，旨在促進人們對高品質建築設計的視覺認知和公眾鑒賞能力。 欲瞭解關於不列顛新建築之美獎的更多資訊請點擊這裏。

Tintagel Castle步行天桥坐落在如诗如画的康沃尔郡，那里是传奇亚瑟王的故乡，在首届“不列颠建筑之美”评奖中Tintagel Castle步行天桥摘得桂冠。该奖项由皇家美术基金会（Royal Fine Art Commission Trust）主办，Ballymore（巴利摩）集团赞助承办。

不列颠新建筑之美奖于今年首次推出，旨在表彰为英国整体环境“增添建筑之美“的建筑、土木工程和城市景观。

新建筑之美奖的创始人、评委和备受赞誉的建筑评论家Stephen Bayley曾经表示：“我希望这些奖项能够激发公众的想象力，来表彰那些设计师的卓越创意，这种方式前所未有，但却是最恰到好处的一种方式。”

Ballymore集团的董事长兼首席执行官Sean Mulryan也是皇家美术基金会的顾问成员之一，他也是著名的伦敦彭博社欧洲总部颁奖典礼的嘉宾。

本次摘得桂冠的作品——Tintagel Castle步行天桥，由William Matthews Associates和Ney＆Partners设计。这座步行桥长70米，于2020年由查尔斯国王亲自剪彩开通，是500多年来首次将城堡范围内的两个相隔的区域连接起来。评委们对建筑师在如此复杂的地貌上精心设计与建造的步行桥给予了高度评价。

其他获奖建筑包括曼彻斯特的Tower of Light（灯塔）、伦敦的Illuminated River（霓彩河流）和斯特拉特福德的McGrath Road建筑。

新建筑之美奖的评审团是由业界知名的翘楚所组成，包括皇家美术基金会的主席福斯特勋爵（Lord Foster），也是本期典礼的颁奖嘉宾，以及世界建筑节（World Architecture Festival）的项目总监Paul Finch。

皇家美术基金会成立于2017年，旨在促进人们对高品质建筑设计的视觉认知和公众鉴赏能力。 欲了解关于不列颠新建筑之美奖的更多信息请点击这里。

April is World Autism Month, providing countries all over the globe with the opportunity to increase awareness and acceptance of autism by helping neurodiverse people to reach their full potential. One school in Dublin is successfully helping its pupils build confidence and new skills through an approach known as equine therapy.

Scoil Oilibhéir is a 262 student school in Dublin 15, which last year established a new Special Class for Pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. The class, known as Rang na Réaltaí (Class of Stars in English) is part of a continuum of educational provision that enables students with more complex special educational needs to be educated, in smaller class groups, within their local mainstream schools.

This past Lent Term – which coincided with World Autism Month – Rang na Réaltaí pupils enjoyed the benefits of equine therapy, with classes which took them to a nearby farm, where they learned how to ride, interact with and care for the horses. The initiative was funded by Ballymore, who supported the equine therapy lessons as well as transport and ancillary costs.

Speaking of the initiative, School Principal Antóin Ó Cléirigh said: “This past year has been a learning curve for everyone in our school. We exist to meet the needs of each and every child – including children with special educational needs. The new Rang na Réaltaí class aims provide the children in it with a more appropriate education to meet their needs and in line with the school’s vision, to nurture and enrich every child, through the medium of Irish, to achieve their potential.

“It’s been a great success to date. The equine therapy is something I was particularly passionate about as it has provided an empowering life skills activity for our Rang na Réaltaí pupils. Learning to ride horses is just one aspect of it, but you have to consider the day-to-day complexities faced by some of these children who may harbour anxieties and can be upset by disruptions to routines on any given day. 

“This activity helped them to gain new confidence, even with the travel arrangements; some of the children may struggled to process getting on the bus as they might not have ever done it before. Thankfully we partnered with an absolutely fantastic driver who did some trial runs around the local roads in his spare time. It helped our children familiarise themselves with the bus. That was the first step, then we moved forward to the farm and, ten weeks on, we have all learned new skills.”

Antóin says the therapy has brought other benefits, including helping pre-verbal children progress their speech and overcoming fears. He gives an example: “We had one pupil who had long been terrified of dogs, something his parent was concerned about. It was a really magical moment at one of the sessions when he took to a farm dog and began playing fetch with it. It has resolved his fear, which is a huge relief for his family.”  

Equine therapy has long been considered an effective programme for children with autism, thanks to the connection and bonds formed with the animals, as well as motor, emotional, and sensory sensations that come with learning to ride a horse. Antóin continued: “I’ve long been interested in this type of therapy, but prior to Ballymore’s involvement it seemed like a distant dream for us. As a school we may not have had the funds to make it a reality but thanks to Ballymore’s incredible generosity our children have had a magical experience."

Deputy principal and Special Educational Needs (SEN) Co-ordinator Lára Ní Riain explained how the whole school was involved in initial discussions about the new Special Class for Pupils with ASD, which comprises of a maximum of six students.  She said: “It has been wonderful to see how all children across the school’s community have supported and championed the initiatives, which are already promoting inclusivity and huge benefits for those involved.”

Ballymore stepped in to help Scoil Oilibhéir last year, and Antóin is now planning his next initiatives for the Rang na Réaltaí pupils; working alongside Lára, and our colleagues Micheál, Claire and Ciara, who work in the class on a day-to-day basis, the school is hoping to introduce music therapy and other activities for the next academic year. He concluded: “We want our children to leave this school with confidence. We want them to feel safe and secure while they’re here, gaining many opportunities as they progress in the wider world.  

Find out more about World Autism Month here, and about Scoil Oilibhéir here.  

Four Ballymore neighbourhoods in London have been shortlisted for industry accolades – extending our run of awards success. 

Goodluck Hope, our development on the Leamouth Peninsula, has been nominated for Development of the Year at the 2023 RESI awards. The annual awards, organised by Property Week, recognise success throughout the residential property sector, with nominations agreed by an independent panel of 43 judges.

Our work at The Brentford Project has also been recognised, with judges in the 2023 Pineapple Awards nominating the scheme for the Future Place award – an accolade which celebrates the best in placemaking, and projects that make a positive social, environmental, and economic impact. 

Riverscape, our newest development at the Royal Docks and home to the newly-launched Forshaw Building, has also been recognised. The scheme is shortlisted in the Best New Place to Live category in the Building London Planning Awards. 

Speaking of the awards, John Mulryan of Ballymore said: “We are delighted to learn of these nominations which are testament to the work we are doing in nurturing these exciting new neighbourhoods across London.” 

Further awards recognition came for London City Island; in February, the scheme’s masterplan was shortlisted for the 2023 RIBA London Awards, which are part of the UK’s most prestigious architecture prizes. Speaking of the east London projects nominated this year, RIBA East London Jury Chair Mike Jamieson said: “Despite the challenges of recent years, east London continues to be a creative hub for ingenuity, inclusive design, and environmental innovation. From positive and restorative approaches that breathe new life into existing buildings, to innovative ways to live, work and play, this year’s shortlisted projects offer surprise and delight.” 

The winners of each of the awards will be announced at events in London throughout the summer.

Beautiful Malahide is a coastal community in one of Dublin’s most sought-after suburbs and Ballymore is onsite here creating an entirely new neighbourhood at Seamount Rise. Here, we meet Aislinn Geraghty who tells us why this is her family's ‘forever home’. 

In late 2022, the first residents began moving into the newly created Ballymore houses at Seamount Rise – our new coastal development for Dublin. Demand had long been high for these homes, with waiting lists of local people eager to secure one of our high-quality homes in this emerging neighbourhood by the sea.

Among them was 39-year-old Aislinn Geraghty. The Malahide native moved to London in 2011, but family circumstances prompted her to move back to the place she called home. “In 2021 our youngest son contracted meningitis,” Aislinn explains. “We happened to be visiting family in Ireland at the time, and the support we received while he was being treated just made me realise how important it is to be close to family and extended family support.”

Thankfully with son Finn fully recovered, Aislinn and Mark set about moving the family – including oldest son Marshall (4) from their then home in Upminster back to Ireland. “Mark has always lived in England; I met him when I moved over to London through work, he was happy to try something new and uproot the family – seeing the benefit of raising the boys around their extended family in Ireland.” 

In early 2022 the hunt for a new home began, with Aislinn making journeys across the Irish Sea to view potential homes. It proved a difficult process as, she says, the market was “crazy”. Instead of considering in-demand new-builds, they initially began looking at older properties in Portmarnock and Malahide – areas where their support network is based. 

Soon though Aislinn’s head was turned by Seamount Rise, which she says “just stood out”. She adds. “I knew of Ballymore from my time in London. The company had very distinct marketing around the city, and I always thought highly of the work they were doing over there. 

“When I went to see Seamount Rise, I thought I knew what to expect based on that, but I was blown away with the level of detail and design – better than any comparable other new builds I’d seen.”

The buoyancy of the market in 2022 meant that appetite was shared by many others. Aislinn continued: “I really wasn’t hopeful at all that we’d get a home here. We knew the waiting lists were long and the interest was high, so I viewed but tried to restrain myself. Thankfully though, the home we wanted – lucky number 7 – was available and I just acted there and then, putting a deposit down. 

“Thankfully Mark understood when I called him back in England to say I’d made the decision.”

The only compromise Mark had to make was the garden, giving up his unusually large green space in Upminster, something Aislinn said he came to terms with on seeing the house at Seamount: “We have more outdoor space to enjoy in the community here – not just a great garden where we can host parties and create play spaces for the boys, but also the added bonus of the beach just 20 minutes’ walk away and Malahide Castle just 10 minutes from our front door!.” 

Fortunately, their employers in London were equally supportive of the move; Aislinn and Mark both work in the insurance sector and their requests to transfer to Ireland were swiftly accepted by forward-thinking companies. The pair now hybrid work, with Operations Director Mark regularly returning to London. 

Their main base though is the semi-detached four-bedroom home at Seamount Rise that the family moved into late last year. There’s a master suite occupied by Aislinn and Mark, bedrooms for each of the boys and a fourth room that’s used as a guest bedroom and office – helpful for Mark and Aislinn on the days they work at home. 

Aislinn loves the space the home offers the family, with larger rooms than they had in the UK and an ensuite that makes her “feel as if I’m in a hotel every morning”. She continues: “The kitchen-diner area is unreal. It’s so spacious and great to let the kids run around in; they didn’t have that at our old house. I can’t wait to fling the sliding doors open in the summer and have friends over to share the space. 

“We’re big on entertaining and that hub of the home was a huge appeal and one of the reasons we had to go for the house. It’s great to be able to have family and friends over and know we have a lovely space to host in, makes it easy. We also have room for Mark’s family to come and stay whenever they want which was high on our wish list.” 

Among those they’re planning to host are family and friends who live close by; Aislinn’s mum and dad live just minutes away in Malahide while her cousins and brothers all live in surrounding areas, but it’s the new friendships that are helping Aislinn each day too. “I hadn’t fully appreciated the collective experience of moving into a new-build development. It’s not like buying and older house, where we would literally the new kids on the block, trying to make our way into long-established neighbourhood friendship groups; here we’re all in the same boat. Everyone has moved in at the same time, so we’re all open to friendships and getting to know each other.

“It’s honestly fantastic to meet new people, see old school friends from back when I used to live in Malahide, and establish the kids in this emerging community.”

Now as they settle in, the couple are adding their own personal touches to the home, including the creation of new storage areas, work to the garden, a new built-in TV unit, a bike store at the side of the property, and some decorating to add their own colour schemes. “We think this is our forever home,” she adds, “how could it not be? I love everything about living here. I hadn’t appreciated Malahide when I was younger, but this community is everything to me and my boys now.

“Every day I just feel so lucky to call Seamount Rise my home.” 

This is the final article in our series International Women’s Day, articles in which we meet just some of the great women who help make Ballymore the business it is today. Our final feature of this series focuses on Senior Design Manager Ruphina and Nicola Zech-Berens – a project director in London. 

Ruphina Choe is currently working on designs for The Brentford Project; here the 43-year-old mother of one tells us about her experiences as a woman in the construction industry. 

“Diversity in any business is crucial to great outcomes, and it’s great that we have events like International Women’s Day to help highlight the work that women do and our quest for equity.

“We are definitely reaching a point of more parity now, but it’s not always been this way. I only have to think back 20 years ago when I was whistled at onsite as a graduate architect. I was a minority then, and that lack of female representation means the objectification was allowed to happen. 

“We’re eradicating those attitudes now and I largely feel supported in my work at Ballymore. Life is a juggling act as I raise my 21-month-old son Giorgio – a lockdown baby – and my work at The Brentford Project, but I succeed thanks to positivity, patience and persistency. I had to draw on those three tenets a lot as I made my way back into work after I had Giorgio. It was a challenging time and that ‘return to work’ burden is something largely placed on mothers, but I’m motivated so much by what I do and that drove me forward then as it does now.

“Representation is key, and I hope that International Women’s Day will help bring more great role models to the fore, encouraging more women to unleash their dreams without fear. As a woman of Korean, New Zealand and British heritage – with an Italian husband – I’m a big advocate for representation in all its forms.” 

London-based Project Director Nicola Zech-Berens gives some final, inspiring words on International Women’s Day and how women can have it all. 

“At every turn women are under pressure to choose. Do we want a family? A career? Or do we want to have it all?  

“Of course we can have it all. Yes, it is can be challenging to have a family and a career, but it’s not impossible. The key is establishing your own set of life rules and not delaying milestones such as having a family – there’s never a right time so if you want to do it, do it now! 

“I also think women are being helped in the workplace by technology; while the last three years have been challenging in so many ways, they’ve proved that we can work from wherever we choose – making the logistics of long hours and children all the more possible.  

“This approach has definitely helped my career; I soon made peace with the fact that there would be compromises – whether that was the inequality I encountered in the early days, to making financial sacrifices as I had to do with maternity pay – even the simple things like accepting my kids might have creases in their school uniform! I quickly learned to forgive myself and be proud of what I’d achieved both at home and at work.

“I do sustain a lot of pressures at work; I’m a project director in our Ballymore development team, currently planning some exciting projects in the capital - new developments like Deanston Wharf, Thames Road Quarter / UNEX, Knights Road and, my current favourite, Bishopsgate Goodsyard.  

“This sector continues to be dominated by men, and I often find myself the only woman in the room, but I work hard to show what I can do. A project with the gravitas of Bishopsgate helps this. I feel respected and valued by my Ballymore colleagues and my ideas and opinions and supported and considered.

“But I’ve been in this sector for a long time and am speaking from a place of having already earned the respect of others. That’s the part I’d encourage any women moving into the sector to focus on; believe in yourself and invest in yourself so that when you come to the table you have valid ideas that are seriously debated – and taken forward!

“International Women’s Day helps shine a spotlight on the great women of the world; it’s an opportunity to seek out new role models and mentors who can help you in career. Supporting each other is our best route forward as we continue to amplify our voices.”

All this week, we're marking International Women’s Day - introducing you to just some of the great women in our workforce. Today we focus on Rachel Hoy and Kelly O’Shea, two of our colleagues in Dublin who talk us through their work and home lives. 

Rachel Hoy is steering delivery of our Sea Gardens mixed use neighbourhood in Bray as Senior Development Manager.

“Over the course of my career in construction – I’m 37 now - I’ve seen the growth in the numbers of women both working in the industry and occupying more senior technical and project management roles, like mine. 

“I’m a Senior Development Manager, based in Dublin and currently working on our exciting mixed-use development, Sea Gardens in nearby Bray. As a development manager, I’m involved in all stages of the development process: identifying land opportunities, acquiring sites, financial appraisals, obtaining planning permissions and working alongside the design, construction, marketing and sales teams, right through to the very end of a development. Every day in my role is different and that’s why I love it!

“I moved to Dublin just over four years ago, after establishing a successful career in the UK, where I’d worked in London and the north-west of England and built a great network of contacts and knowledge of the UK property market. When I came to Dublin I’d no contacts and had to learn about the property market from scratch. Since then, I’ve worked for high profile developers and achieved success through winning competitive tenders and securing planning consents on major schemes. Starting my career over again in a new country has been my biggest professional achievement to date.

I’ve never felt that I’ve encountered inequality and not been afforded the same opportunities as men in my career. I believe that, if anything, being a woman in this industry has made me stand out and that has always been a positive.

“What I have found challenging at times is gender stereotyping; men are praised for being assertive, while women are deemed “emotional” for displaying the same assertiveness. That can be frustrating.

“My advice to women in the industry is to support and encourage other women. I’m blessed to have been in the same room as some amazing, strong-minded, intelligent and driven women and I’ve worked alongside them on some great projects, which has been a real privilege.  

“I would also advise anyone encountering inequality in the industry to call it out. I think a lot of bias is actually subconscious, so communication is key to education to help resolve inequality.

“I feel supported as a person working in this industry – rather than as a woman specifically. That’s down to the companies I’ve worked for and the positive cultures they promote, supporting men and women equally, which is exactly as it should be.” 

8^th Lock site administrator Kelly O’Shea (39) moved to Dublin in 2018, and has since made a life and a career for herself in the city. 

“I love working for Ballymore, and it was hugely rewarding to see Dublin Landings – my first development with the company – come to fruition.

“I’ve long worked in what traditionally might be male-dominated sectors, working initially in oil and gas before moving to Ballymore in 2018 when I made the bold move to leave my home in Waterford to set up a new life for myself. 

“It was hard, as I moved into a house with people I didn’t know, and started making friends! Fast forward to 2023 and I’m working at 8^th Lock, I’ve moved into a house with a woman who’s become a great friend, and I’ve even earned myself a regular place in the Clontarf FC Rugby Team.

“It all comes down to belief in yourself and confidence. I knew I needed to make friends here so I plucked up the courage to walk into Clontarf and ask for a place. It’s a sport I knew and I used that to my advantage to establish a new social network for myself. It’s the same at work; I’ve just thrown myself into it, working as hard as I can and making new friends. 

“I’ve had my knocks though – and I don’t just mean on the rugby field! I certainly experienced inequality when I worked in the oil and gas sector. It was disheartening, but I think, and hope, things are changing now, and I’ve certainly never experienced anything that’s made me feel inferior while I’ve been at Ballymore, where I feel supported by all colleagues – men and women. 

“My way through the down times was just to always be unapologetically real; being myself has helped me earn the respect of others. Showing a willingness to learn and gain lots of experience helps too, and I’m lucky enough to have worked on a few of our developments overseeing the administration onsite – now splitting my weeks between 8^th Lock and Seamount Rise in Malahide. It’s giving me the opportunity to meet more people and get involved in more of Ballymore’s work.”

The 15-minute city is not a new idea. But in recent weeks it has found itself in the middle of quite the controversy.

What has been a clever, human-centric urban planning model designed to better equip our neighbourhoods with day-to-day amenities within 15 minutes’ walk or cycle, news of Oxford’s traffic filter plans has led to the 15-minute city becoming a fully-fledged conspiracy theory – even finding its way into a conversation in the House of Commons. 

However, what seems to have got lost in the current noise is why it came into the mainstream in the first place. And, more importantly, why it’s a premise that is front of mind for developers, urban planners and architects alike when it comes to designing large-scale projects or considering adaptations to existing town and city centres. 

Covid-19 kickstarted a gear change in what people wanted and expected from their neighbourhoods, including a well-stocked high street, green space and good local amenities.

For those of us responsible for making places, we need to listen. And the 15-minute city seems a natural answer to the question of how to make this happen for communities.

So how should we be approaching the 15-minute city in the context of regeneration? As a starting point, successful walkable neighbourhoods need to be truly mixed-use, as the four pillars of the 15-minute city (proximity, diversity, density and ubiquity) underpins. 

By doing so, the social, economic and environmental benefits are bountiful. Let’s take a real-life example - our west London regeneration scheme, The Brentford Project. 

It spans 11.8 acres between the high street and the river, but currently, there’s a huge disconnect between the two. Integral to the plans is reconnecting them, but rather than just filling the space with buildings, we’re doing so with pedestrianised streets and expansive areas of waterfront public realm – making the neighbourhood easier to navigate by foot and creating more organic opportunities to connect with the community. 

The importance of these kinds of spaces for locals to come together can’t be overstated and are fundamental in helping to foster the sense of community within walkable neighbourhoods.

The project is set to truly revitalise the area and encompasses all the elements of a 15-minute city. The Brentford Project is already home to classic car entrepreneur, Duke of London, alongside popular eateries Santa Maria Pizzeria, with the future retail offering to include over 50 new shops, boutiques, restaurants, and entertainment venues.

This activation of ground level will see the delivery of day-to-day amenities, including restaurants such as popular Sam’s Larder, market-leading retailers and traditional shops like a bakery, greengrocer and butcher as well as major supermarket chain, Morrison’s. The pedestrianised lanes and yards that run down to the waterfront are designed to house local independent retailers, artisans and craftspeople – meaning as wide a variety of amenities for residents and locals as possible. Not only that, but residents will also have access to a suite of impressive amenities, including a co-working space, swimming pool, state-of-the-art gym and wellness studio, as well as abundant private and public outside space. 

The wellbeing boost and higher physical activity levels that come from great access to green space, the time saved by having on-the-doorstep amenities, or the feeling of inclusivity and neighbourly support that comes with stronger community connections, is something we all deserve from where we live. While of course the principle in its entirety doesn’t work everywhere, and indeed there will always be people who do need to commute longer distances, some components of the 15-minute city can be applied almost everywhere. 

In the context of the way we live post-pandemic, the argument for taking a 15-minute city approach to development and centring a project around walkability and community – like that of The Brentford Project – is even more compelling, and seems a natural way forward in creating happier, healthier and more sustainable places to live. 

This week we are celebrating International Women’s Day, meeting just some of the great women who help make Ballymore the business it is today. 

We’ve selected some of our female colleagues in the UK and Ireland, sharing their stories throughout the week. Today, we start with Suzanne Hussey (42), who works as Project Manager in Dublin, and Lynnette Uzell – who works in our customer care team in London.

Here Suzanne, tells us about her work at Dublin Landings and her role outside of the office managing a farm and three children. 

“I’m really proud of the work I’ve achieved at Ballymore. When Dublin Landings completed last year, I think we all took a moment to acknowledge the sheer scale of delivering a transformational development like that – and doing it during Covid.

“It’s one of the many highlights of my career. I’m originally from County Meath, but lived in London for 10 years working in this industry; I took a swift detour to Switzerland a few years back for my husband’s job, but in 2016 we all moved back to Ireland, and in 2018 I began working at Ballymore.

“While we may have moved around a bit, the construction sector’s always been a constant in my life. I had my first job in the industry before I left college; the appeal of always having something to work towards excites me each day and I love meeting people and speaking to everyone involved in a project – from design teams to contracts managers to the people on the ground. 

“I’m lucky as I’ve always had a strong belief in myself and my place in this industry, but I know that it’s far from easy. Ours is a sector with a lot of inequality, though I’ve never experienced it directly, I’m acutely aware of its existence.

“Through hard work and tenacity, women have earned their place at this industry’s table, and the only way we’ll keep it is by being strong – ensuring that our opinions and voices are heard. The more diverse contributions there are, the more the industry will benefit.

“I’ve never shied away from speaking out, I think I’m a natural arbitrator and can bring people together in adversity. I don’t think it’s necessarily down to being a woman, it’s just who I am, but it thankfully fosters the productive working environments I’ve been lucky enough to experience throughout my career. 

“I’m also fortunate enough to have support around me that allow me to address the problem faced by so many working mothers – managing a home and a career. I employ a great au pair – a brilliant woman who supports me and vice versa and our arrangement helps me perform on both fronts – at home and at Ballymore. It also means I have time to manage our subsistence farm where we have chickens and vegetable patches. 

“That entire home setup saves my sanity and allows me to flourish onsite – especially as we get ready to transform our new site at Bray where I’ll be project managing. I feel we’re on the cusp of something as special as Dublin Landings there and I can’t wait to get started.”  

53-year-old Lynnette Uzell helps customers move into their new Ballymore homes at The Brentford Project in London.  Here she tells her story… 

“I love working in property and construction. I’m lucky to have spent many years in this sector, working at Taylor Wimpey, Wilmott Dixon and now Ballymore. 

“I’m originally from Dublin, moving to London in the 1990s. When I first relocated my son was very young (he’s 28 now) and the workplace was much less flexible. I needed to work and be myself so I established a career in childcare. 

“As my son got older I trained as a counsellor; it was a challenging but meaningful area of work, and it made me realise that everything I do in life had to give me that same rewarding feeling. 

“That’s why I moved into customer care roles, something I particularly enjoy. Personally, I’ve never encountered any major obstacles as I’ve build up my career in property. It has its moments, but most colleagues I’ve met along the way treat me equally.

“That’s especially true of Ballymore, where I’m fortunate enough to work in a welcoming environment and treated as one of the team – there’s no issue because I’m a woman, and when I’m onsite I don’t feel different to anyone else.

“I think the secret to earning that equality is to believe in yourself and just go for it. Immerse yourself in something you’re passionate about, gain qualifications that give you extra knowledge to succeed. One of my proudest achievements was completing my NVQ Level 4 in construction and engineering a couple of years ago, gaining some great technical skills that help me, our colleagues and our customers. It took a long time to complete – Covid didn’t help – but I’m so proud of what I achieved.”

The London Festival of Architecture (LFA), in partnership with Ballymore, Barnet Council and Transport for London (TfL), has launched a new design competition, ‘More Edgware, Less Anywhere’.  Emerging architects, landscape architects and designers are invited to submit a proposal for a new public realm intervention in Edgware, re-introducing greening on the High Street.  

A century ago, Edgware train station once stood in a field, with green spaces and open countryside on its doorstep. However, the access routes to Edgware’s greenery have become obscured as the town has overgrown.

Applicants are asked to provide a creative design solution for a site-specific public realm intervention that introduces new greening in the town centre, while improving the visibility and permeability of Edgware’s existing green spaces, drawing on the place’s historical roots and improving the experience for residents and visitors.   

The project's key objectives are to deliver a design that celebrates the character and history of Edgware, introduces planting and greenery into Station Road in a way that integrates successfully with the bustling high street, and explores this year’s LFA theme of ‘In Common’. Designers should consider what people have in common when they gather in and use public spaces and the diversity of users and communities in Edgware. 

The council, in partnership with Ballymore and TfL, has an ambitious programme of town centre investment to create thriving town centres that people want to live, work and spend time in. This temporary intervention for the LFA will be an exploratory project, testing out some of the long-term ambitions for the area’s improvement which will be used to inform the wider work. 

‘More Edgware, Less Anywhere’ will be delivered in parallel with a programme of centenary celebrations for Edgware Town Centre, including a mural and series of shopfront windows installations. 

Interested applicants are invited to submit their proposals by midday on 22 February 2023. The winning team will be confirmed in late March. 

To find out more information, please click here.  

Ballymore joined forces with international real estate journal Bisnow, hosting a debate on the future of the UK’s town centres and high streets.

A panel of renowned industry leaders joined guests from across the commercial real estate sector – including investors, owners, developers, consultants, and advisers. Together they looked at the future of urbanisation and the new asset classes fuelling economic growth. 

The event was structured around two panel debates. The first looked at the role of partnerships in regeneration, and how they can provide competitive returns to investors and the impact of the regeneration bill on urbanisation strategies; the second focused on the purpose and evolution of town centres. 

Ballymore’s Roger Black spoke on day; the company’s creative director, Roger has helped deliver sustainable new town centres at Ballymore neighbourhoods including Royal Wharf, The Brentford Project, as well as a future town centre scheme for Edgware. Reflecting on the event he said: “The macro economic challenges of recent years have adversely impacted the British high street, but this event allowed us to look beyond that viewpoint.

“These debates were filled with enthusiasm, ideas and expertise as we assessed what communities need – be that well-thought-out design, to repositioning assets and turning empty shops into usable spaces.

“We also focused on the role of private and public sector partnerships and the importance of collaboration in making the future high street a reality. This is a reality for Ballymore across many sites – including our partnership with Transport for London and Barnet Council at Edgware. 

“I enjoyed reflecting on our own work and that of peers across the sector; my thanks to everyone who contributed to a truly engaging day.” 

Peter Elliot, Head of Property Development at Ballymore partner TfL also spoke alongside Roger and added: “The purpose of town centres hasn't changed, but the physical representation has. Different formats of the traditional high street exist, but there has always been a profound interaction between the town centre and transport, and within that lies excellent opportunities. 

“A thriving high street has a constant blur between commercial, cultural or retail; a diverse mix is needed.”

The construction industry faces major changes this year as the sector implements the new Building Safety Act – which drives a whole new safety regime for the construction industry. 

This week, trade journal Construction News hosted its Transforming Construction conference, helping industry leaders understand more about the impact of the changes, and incoming legislation.

Among those leading the discussions on the day was Ballymore’s Health and Safety Director, Bob Wolstenholme. Bob was part of a panel which helped delegates understand the regulatory changes needed to make construction safer, more productive and a digitally driven industry. 

Speaking at the event, he said: “The Building Safety Act will have a huge impact on our sector and it is imperative that industry leaders come together to collaborate, share knowledge and best practice to ensure that changes are smoothly and consistently implemented.

“It was also a chance to share the way we are doing things at Ballymore where we are innovating with new ideas and construction processes – from MMC in the form of Byldis panels at Wardian and London City Island, to using CarbonCure in our concrete in Dublin. 

Bob outlined how important digital technology is going forward in order to maintain a seamless flow of information. “Ballymore has invested more than half a million pounds over the past 18 months in new digital systems to ensure we can easily retrieve evidence to demonstrate we are meeting building safety standards.

“We are helping play our part in taking the industry forward and I valued the opportunity to share that while listening to others in our sector as we embrace what’s ahead.”

The Construction News event was formerly known as the CN Summit. Now in its 10th year it was attended by delegates from across the country, with other debates looking at emerging market challenges to make better data-driven decisions.

Find out more about the event here.

Ballymore’s London City Island played host to The Academy of Urbanism’s Great Place Urbanism Awards, welcoming architects, designers and other guests to the area.

Hosted in person for the first time since 2019, the awards celebrated the best developments across the UK and beyond. Winners included Trieste in Northern Italy awarded European City of the Year, The Piece Hall in Halifax won The Great Place 2022 accolade; Perth and Kinross Council was crowned the Great Street 2022 award for Mill Street in Perth. 

The title of Great Town 2022 was awarded to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council for their work in Dún Laoghaire in Dublin while Govanhill in Glasgow won the Great Neighbourhood 2022 accolade. 

Judges opted to host the awards at London City Island to “offer a fresh twist on the Awards Ceremony”. Organisers said they wanted to “embrace interesting new urbanism as part of our Great Places celebration”, exploring the Island’s “striking” cultural landscape. 

Tony Reddy, Academy of Urbanism Director said: “We are absolutely delighted with the response to the concept of having added a feature of a visit to London City Island to coincide with the Annual Academy of Urbanism Awards Ceremony.

"Site tours and a welcome from key project representatives from Ballymore and Glenn Howells Architects in conjunction with experience of being at the Sean Mulryan Centre, the new home of the English National Ballet, led to this being an extremely interesting day for members attending the event ceremony. The ambience was enhanced by the sight of performers dotted around getting ready for auditions on the site of the new place that is called City Island. It is also a reminder that Arts and Culture are an essential element in creating good urbanism."

Insight into the Island was given thanks to tours from architects from Glenn Howells, and Ballymore’s Roger Black. Together, the pair shared the story of the evolution of the area and taking the site from a disused industrial site into a new place for people and businesses.   

Guests also listened to a session given by representatives from European finalist cities – Málaga, Mechelen, and Trieste – as well as readings from poet-in-residence Ian McMillan who had crafted 15 poems for the 2022 finalists. 

The Academy of Urbanism is committed to identifying, promoting and learning from great urbanism in the UK, Ireland and across Europe. Find out more about the organisation here.

Tintagel Castle Footbridge in Cornwall – the legendary home of King Arthur - was crowned the overall winner of the inaugural Building Beauty Awards hosted by the Royal Fine Art Commission Trust and sponsored by Ballymore.  

Launched this year, the awards celebrate buildings, engineering structures and urban landscaping schemes that ‘add beauty to Britain’s built environment’.

Stephen Bayley, the awards’ founder, judge and acclaimed architecture critic, set out his ambition for the awards last year, saying “It is my hope that these awards will capture the public’s imagination and celebrate creative excellence in a way that has never been done before, but which has never been more relevant.”

Ballymore's Chairman and Chief Executive Sean Mulryan, who also sits on the Trust’s advisory panel, was among the guests at the prestigious awards ceremony which was held at Bloomberg’s European headquarters in the City of London. 

The overall award, Tintagel Castle Footbridge, was designed by William Matthews Associates and Ney & Partners.  The 70-metre-long bridge was opened by King Charles in 2020 and links the two separate halves of the Castle for the first time in more than 500 years.  It won the praise from the judges who applauded the architects’ response to the site’s challenging location. 

Other winners included Manchester’s Tower of Light, the Illuminated River project in London and McGrath Road in Stratford.

The awards were judged by a prominent panel of design names including the Trust’s president, Lord Foster who presented the awards and programme director of the World Architecture Festival, Paul Finch.  

The Royal Fine Art Commission Trust was established in 2017 and seeks to promote visual awareness and public appreciation of high-quality design. Find out more about the Building Beauty Awards here.

Goodluck Hope has won a Gold accolade at this year’s WhatHouse? Awards – one of the property industry’s most prestigious ceremonies.

At the annual event, held in London on 18 November, Goodluck Hope was crowned winner of the Best Luxury Development category. 

Judges commended the “incredibly exciting luxury riverfront development”, calling it “a real community”. They went on to praise its connectivity, amenities, public realm, as well as an aesthetic that is in keeping with local style, saying it “remains faithful in the area’s rich maritime heritage”. 

The news comes just weeks after Ballymore’s success at another acclaimed awards ceremony; in September the company was named Homebuilder of the Year at the British Homes Awards, with Goodluck Hope picking up the Best Development accolade. 

Speaking of the news, Ballymore’s group managing director John Mulryan said: “I am incredibly proud of this run of recognition for Goodluck Hope, a development which has created an entirely new community on the Leamouth Peninsula – extending our work at neighbouring London City Island and giving more people a chance to live, work and enjoy life here.

“Congratulations to everyone on the Ballymore team who has contributed to the success of Goodluck Hope.”

Ballymore has won seven awards in 2022 – three of them for Goodluck Hope. The company’s work in Ireland was also recognised this year as Dublin Landings received an Urban Design and Architecture Award. You can see the full list of Ballymore awards here.  

London’s first community concert hall in more than a decade has opened at Embassy Gardens, as charity World Heart Beat launches a new, accessible venue for local people.

A new cultural anchor for Nine Elms, the facility will enable World Heart Beat to build on its existing track record of providing accessible music education. The space will be open to all, and features a state-of-the-art recording studio, teaching spaces, an outside broadcast studio, and a café/bar. At its heart is an auditorium – the first in the UK to be equipped with the revolutionary 360-degree d&b immersive Soundscape EnScene system which ensures each audience member experiences the same exceptional quality of sound, regardless of their position in the hall. 

The facility was formally opened with a series of launch events attended by Baroness Floella Benjamin, eminent jazz artist Julian Joseph OBE, the Mayor of Wandsworth, and Cllr Kemi Akinola – Wandsworth Council’s cabinet member for Culture who said: "I was delighted to be at the opening of this fantastic venue for World Heart Beat with state-of-the-art facilities that will help so many of our young people to fulfil their potential, regardless of their circumstances.

“This music centre also gives our communities the chance to participate in the cultural life of the borough and builds a strong future for creative industries choosing to make Wandsworth their home.”

World Heart Beat was first established in London in 2008, with a mission to make music accessible, transforming lives through lessons, workshops and events. Speaking of the new venue the charity’s founder Sahana Gero MBE added: "We are honoured to be opening up World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens to add to the vibrancy and excitement around the new Nine Elms area. It is such a privilege to be able to contribute to the community with a state-of-the-art boutique concert hall and a music education facility. 

“Music brings everyone together, it brings joy by linking communities and breaking down political, economic and cultural barriers. We would like to think of World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens as an inspiring place to be, a citadel for musical aspirations and achievement. A welcoming home for all."

In her quest to get people through the doors of the venue, a programme of events has already been announced; renowned artists are scheduled to perform from January – including Julian Joseph, as well as jazz trumpeter Byron Wallen, Cuban-born violinist Omar Puente, saxophonist and flautist Tony Kofi, Indian classical musician Kamal Sabri, Russian-born British concert pianist Yevgeny Sudbin, winner of the BBC Young Musician brass category in 2016 Ben Goldscheider, and piano trio Amatis Trio. 

World Heart Beat will also host regular classes and areas for local young people to learn; the space has been designed by Rory Aitkenhead ARB, director of ra-l architects, with cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art facilities that will enable the charity to introduce young people to a huge breadth of music industry skills whilst also providing an unparalleled experience for artists and audiences. 

World Heart Beat’s mission is to provide opportunities for all, and welcomes any young person interested in learning music. This commitment sees them providing bursaries and free instruments to more than half of the students that come through their door; this will directly benefit thousands of young people, particularly welcoming young those living in challenging circumstances, and on the neighbouring communities on the Patmore, Savona, Carey Gardens, Doddington and Rollo Estates. To find out more, and to book tickets for the first confirmed shows, click here.

Sean Mulryan, Ballymore’s Chairman and Chief Executive, and Stephen Bayley Hon FRIBA, Chairman of The Royal Fine Art Commission Trust, planted the first of nine elm trees in the Nine Elms Park at Embassy Gardens, as part of ‘The Queen’s Green Canopy’ and in memory of the late Sovereign, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  

Sean Mulryan recently joined the Advisory Board of The Royal Fine Art Commission Trust, a charity that promotes high-quality design in the built environment.  The Royal Fine Art Commission Trust was set up as a charity in 1987 as a complement to the Royal Fine Art Commission, the government’s independent adviser on matters affecting public amenity and aesthetics in England. Over the past 30 years, the Trust has sought to promote visual awareness and public appreciation of high-quality design, for example through educational initiatives and their upcoming Building Beauty Awards (of which Ballymore is proud to be a sponsor).

Stephen Bayley, Chairman of The Trust, is a British author, critic, columnist, consultant, broadcaster, debater and curator... since the 1980’s he has been referred to as the ‘design guru’.

He was the founding Director of ‘The Boilerhouse Project’ – Britain’s first permanent exhibition of design, at the V&A, which evolved into the unique Design Museum in London, with Stephen Bayley as its Chief Executive, and which was opened by Margaret Thatcher in 1989. 

‘The Queen's Green Canopy’ initiative began in May 2021 in honour of the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, to increase and protect the UK’s native tree cover, encouraging people to create a 'special gift' for the Queen, to mark her 70 years on the throne.

Development Director, Steve Tennant and Development Manager, Michelle Burton have both been appointed to the New London Architecture’s (NLA’s) expert panels for High Streets and Public Realm, respectively. 

Steve has a wealth of knowledge to share in this new role including 30 years’ experience leading mixed-use projects with a combined GDV in excess of £6 billion both in the UK and internationally, including projects in Paris, Berlin, Prague, Bratislava and Budapest. In addition to leading Ballymore’s development team, he is currently leading on a major regeneration in Edgware town centre, establishing a BID and other regeneration activities. 

As a member of the High Streets Expert Panel he will focus on how the built environment sector can adapt successfully and promote the recovery of London’s town centres and high streets. 

Since graduating in architecture in 2013, Michelle has been involved in a range of projects in the property industry. At Ballymore, she has worked across the EcoWorld Ballymore ACE portfolio, comprising mixed-tenure projects at Wardian London in Canary Wharf, London City Island on Leamouth Peninsula in East London and Embassy Gardens in the new Nine Elms area of London. Currently, Michelle is working on the redevelopment of a brownfield site in the heart of Stratford in conjunction with London Legacy Development Company. 

Michelle joins the Public Realm Expert Panel which will focus on safety, diversity, and wellbeing in the public realm; accessibility to and management of green and blue open spaces; and best practice in placemaking through new and existing public spaces to support London’s recovery and resilience. 

Michelle is part of the NLA Next Gen initiative which identifies and supports young talent from across the industry, championing the professional development of the built environment’s future leaders.  

Speaking on their appointments, Steve and Michelle said: “We’re delighted to be joining the NLA’s expert panels. It is a fantastic opportunity to be part of these insightful conversations to help shape the future of high streets and the public realm.” 

Steve and Michelle pick up the reins from Projects Director Simon Ryan who represented Ballymore on the NLA’s Public Realm Expert Panel during 2021/22.

The British Homes Awards has crowned Ballymore its 2022 Homebuilder of the Year at its annual ceremony at the Londoner Hotel, Leicester Square on 30 September.

Ballymore also won Development of the Year Award (over 100 homes) for Goodluck Hope, its industrial-inspired, residential-led community creating an island neighbourhood of 841 homes on Leamouth Peninsula, including apartments, lofts and townhouses, set between a series of landscaped courtyards and slipways. 

The judges panel commended Ballymore's latest victory commenting: “This is a major achievement on what is a very constrained site… The whole process has been well considered and the outcome is impressive.”

The annual event celebrates excellence in British housebuilding, from architectural and interior design through to build quality and innovation and from one-off houses to major developments. 

This success takes Ballymore’s total awards this year to five. Royal Wharf was awarded a RIBA London accolade earlier this year, while Three Snowhill in Birmingham won the British Council for Offices’ Winning Workplace Award. Dublin Landings, our one million square foot workspace-led mixed-use development in Dublin, won an urban design award and architecture award.  

Reflecting on the news, Ballymore’s group managing director John Mulryan said:

“We are delighted to win not just one but two awards! The British Homes Awards are highly regarded in our sector and these accolades are testament to the work we do creating fantastic new communities in both the UK and Ireland.

“Congratulations goes to not only those involved in our Goodluck Hope development, but to everyone at Ballymore for the part they play in helping us deliver exemplary neighbourhoods where people want to live, work and belong.”

Having weathered the pandemic, small businesses are squaring up to the fresh challenges of the cost of living crisis and the UK’s 5 million or more artisan makers, café owners, creatives, street food chefs and entrepreneurs are applying their imagination and innovation to keep on attracting customers. 

Ballymore is a major supporter of small businesses through the commercial space and events in its neighbourhoods; these provide platforms for new and growing businesses, as well as giving the public the chance to meet distinctive and often local craftspeople and snap up extra-special products.

September’s Summer Fête at Royal Wharf Park, in east London, demonstrates just how important that platform can be for micro and small businesses. The event, organised by Ballymore with its events management partner Ace Events, brought together local artists and small business owners in a bustling art and craft market, alongside street food and drinks vendors, musicians and entertainers and local sports clubs. 

Those showing their wares included actor and ceramicist Hephzibah Roe, who found eager buyers, particularly for the 8oz coffee cups and plates made by the HR Ceramics business she established last year in Hackney. “Local events and markets are great for a small business like mine - it’s lovely getting to know not only the other market holders but also the local people from the area,” she says. “I am the sole operator of my business and part of my ethos is to bring joy in the usage of everyday items - I love making them and it’s great to see them go to a happy home!”

Jasmine Boadi delighted the senses of fête visitors with her MEFIYE luxury home fragrance brand. Jasmine’s east London studio, also established last year, sells products inspired by her Ghanaian heritage and UK upbringing mainly online, and for the fête she brought her core collection of fragranced soy wax candles and market tested a new range of Mini (votive) candles. “With our current primary product category being fragrance, encouraging customers to ‘blind buy’ online, without previous experience of the scents or the stories behind them, can sometimes be a challenge,” she explains. “So, events such as the Royal Wharf Summer Fête are key for us to hear from attendees and gain immediate insights into which products work for those new customers and why, so that we can continue to improve and grow as a brand.” 

Fête visitors clearly loved the products. “We completely sold out of our DUA Mini candle,” she says. “I was very lucky to have our studio based not too far away from the fête’s location so I could do a quick re-stock - or two - during the event.”

Another of the fete’s success stories is Sleepgoddess, a brand of vegan silk accessories and aromatherapy products designed to promote a better night’s sleep. “My Beauty Sleep Shower Steaming Salts were very popular at the fête and were sold out! That was very exciting for me,” says business founder Laurelle Darroux. The products, made using natural ingredients and wrapped in eco packaging, are created by Laurelle at her Dagenham home, where she began her business in 2020 after redundancy. “It is so important for me to get in front of the local community to engage with them and present my product to receive feedback that I can use to further develop my business,” she says of the fete. The interaction with visitors resulted in online orders too, and Laurelle says the event, “has also been useful in building my small business network, as I interacted with other vendors and got and shared useful advice”.

Craft markets and online are key sales routes for Henrieta Kolecani’s natural, plant based candles, room scents, body products and handmade ceramics, the latter made to order. Her La Scent business focuses on natural, recyclable and recycled low carbon footprint products and production, and those eco-credentials encouraged customers to talk and buy, she says. “My bestsellers were my Enchanting Spa range, which nearly sold out,” she adds. “Royal Wharf Summer Fete is a wonderful way to bring the community together; it is a fun day enjoyed by everybody.”

More businesses can be found at upcoming Christmas events. 

Want to support small businesses?

Here’s where to find the companies featured here: 

• HR Ceramics 
• MEFIYE
• Sleepgoddess
• La Scent

One of Dublin’s largest scale open-air art exhibitions was unveiled on Sheriff Street today. Ballymore’s Dublin Arch Murals aim to make art accessible to all using eight up-and-coming, local, and established artists to create large-scale dramatic work. 

Well-known artists such as Solus, Shane Ha, Kiki Na, Duc Pham, and local artists & creatives including Rebecca Kehoe and Tara Kearns created pieces along with Sheriff Street after-school group ASESP. The images are a mix of printed graphics and painted artwork and will be in situ for the public to view for the next two years. 

The artwork will be displayed on hoardings currently around the Dublin Arch site on Sheriff Street and Oriel Street, connected to Connolly Railway Station in Dublin. When completed, the mixed-use development will include homes and offices, retail spaces, a café, food market, and new facilities for the Docklands Boxing Club and St. Joseph’s O’Connell GAA Club. Also included is over 7,000sq m of public open space and over 2000 bicycle parking spaces for residents, visitors, and workers. 

Leading the project is Art Director Fionnuala Halpin who is working with children and youth groups in the locality and has vast experience in civic art projects and youth work in communities. She is also an accomplished artist in her own right and has a passion for making art more accessible to the public. 

Speaking about the exhibition Fionnuala says, “With this project, we are taking the constraints of a gallery away and making art more accessible to the community. There has been no real focus on art in the inner city in any consistent way, so this is a great way to highlight our local talent and hopefully bring an arts centre to the community in the future.

“Public art reflects society and can strengthen the sense of place by being site-specific. It is a communal activity that can reach a wide variety of people. It can be engaging, inspiring, and challenging and can help stimulate conversation between a diverse range of individuals and groups.”

Tara Kearns’ is an up-and-coming expressionist artist from Sheriff Street, gaining notoriety for her paintings of real people from the community and issues such as homelessness. Working two jobs, Tara got into IADT in Dun Laoghaire and graduated with a First-Class degree. She has gone on to showcase her work at a solo show at Trinity College where she depicted disabled leaders from the university to mark Disability Week and she also took part in the long-standing Five Lamps festival. In art college, she felt there was a stigma about being from Sheriff Street and this is something that she has carried with her all her life. She felt that art was something for the ‘wealthy’ and those who had the education to understand it, and this is something she wants to change through her work.  

Speaking about the project and her local community Tara said, “Growing up my mam sacrificed a lot for me to realise my dream as an artist. To have my work displayed here in my community alongside some of these great artists is a really proud moment! I am determined to show the positive side of Dublin’s inner city. 

I regularly have young people asking how they can paint and draw ‘like me’ so the chance to do more teaching and workshops here would be great. I invite all who have never been to this area of Dublin to come and visit and look at this beautiful art and see our strong sense of community.” 

Locals from the Sheriff Street area were delighted to see the exhibitions being created and colour the installations are bringing to the vicinity. Many expressed their appreciation with local resident Fiona Byrne commenting: “We are delighted to see this arrival of creativity and local artists to the area. Sheriff Street is often forgotten area of the city and this artwork is a great addition of colour to the street. It’s lovely to see them all come together.”

Ballymore is a developer with vast and varied experience, acknowledged as pioneers of some of Europe’s largest regeneration projects. Art and culture is a key part of its developments.

Chairman and Group Chief Executive, Ballymore, Sean Mulryan officially unveiled the murals today and said, “The arts, culture, and design are essential to our lives and to our wellbeing. We must appreciate the significance of the arts to our quality of life, and we always ensure it is within the places that we are developing. This project offers inspiring examples of how individual artists can make a difference and we look forward to building our relationships with these artists further as Dublin Arch progresses.” 

You can watch a film of the exhibition coming together here. 

Ballymore and Transport for London (TfL)’s commercial property company, TTL Properties Ltd (TTLP) have formally committed to combine their landholdings in Edgware. Working with the London Borough of Barnet, they will deliver their shared vision of a reimagined town centre with a thriving high street on Station Road open to all.

The 7.5-acre Broadwalk Shopping Centre, acquired by Ballymore in 2020, is key to unlocking the regeneration of the town centre. By working with TfL, which owns much of the neighbouring land including the bus station and bus garages, the project will be able to reach its full potential. The development will deliver an improved bus station as well as garages and will make it even easier to travel around Edgware while accessing the main shopping and residential areas. Ballymore will hold a majority stake in the strategic partnership.

The town centre is popular, diverse and valued, providing extensive shopping, cafes, restaurants and services for communities in both Barnet and the adjacent London Borough of Harrow. Edgware’s local economy is largely reliant on the commercial success of its high street retailers and offices which, like many town centres and high streets nationally, have come under pressure leading to an increase in the closure of anchor shops and, in some areas, resulting in dilapidated building frontages and anti-social behaviour. 

John Mulryan, Group Managing Director at Ballymore, said: “We have long been committed to partnerships, working successfully with organisations to create new homes and mixed-use communities across London.

“Edgware, with its amenities and public transport connections, is a town with huge potential, but the changing face of the high street requires a new approach. We are looking forward to collaborating with TfL and Barnet Council to deliver our shared vision of creating an outstanding place for modern urban living, with thriving commerce, new and integrated public spaces, improved connectivity and public transport, new leisure and cultural offerings and a variety of new homes.” 

Peter Elliott, Head of Property Development at Transport for London, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Ballymore and working with the local community to revitalise Edgware town centre. Together we will be delivering high-quality new homes and improved retail space alongside other benefits for the local community, including better transport facilities, public realm and community and leisure amenities.”

Since acquiring the site in 2020, Ballymore has undertaken extensive public consultation to gain a thorough understanding of local opinion on the existing town centre and its future, working with TfL. Furthermore, alongside the London Borough of Barnet, both Ballymore and TfL are founding members of a Town Centre Steering Group which seeks to improve the appearance, vitality and with a long-term ambition of establishing a business improvement district (BID), whereby the numerous local businesses can invest together to improve the local trading environment. 

Stephen McDonald, Director for Growth at Barnet Council, added: “We are pleased to see this project take another step forward – a crucial part of the council’s overall plans to reinforce and enhance Edgware’s status as a major town centre to better serve the needs of those living and working here.”

Ballymore has today (29 July) submitted planning permission to Dublin City Council to regenerate and open the gates of the historic St. James’s Gate site to become the ‘Guinness Quarter’ – a world class, modern, and dynamic urban neighbourhood in Dublin 8.

Ballymore, in close collaboration with Diageo, has developed a masterplan for St. James’s Gate that brings this vision to life by creating a seamless union of residential living, community, entrepreneurship, creativity, sustainability, commerce, culture and public space, while retaining the site’s unique built heritage, complemented by the very best of carefully considered architecture and urban design. The masterplan has been sensitively shaped and designed by taking its direction from the fabric, heights and massing of the existing brewery site and its environs.

The main features of the plan include:

• A network of fixed and flexible inside and outside spaces for culture and community use including a flexible multi-use space that can cater for a variety of uses, such as a c.300 seated performance format.
• More than 2 acres of landscaped public spaces.
• A vibrant and exciting Food Hall that will be a landmark destination for people to taste and experience the best of regional, national, and international cuisine.
• A marketplace to showcase local, regional, and national producers and creators.
• Commercial workspaces designed to cater for a sustainable mix of large, medium, and small enterprises.
• 336 homes, with a mix including one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. The scheme includes homes to buy, homes to rent and social homes.  The ambition is for the Iveagh Trust to be the social housing partner.
• The site includes bicycle parking infrastructure with 2,000 bicycle parking spaces in the heart of the development.
• Hotel accommodation to cater for both the leisure and business visitors to the area.
• The refurbishment, repurposing, and extension of heritage structures and the retention of key conservation features.

As a pioneer of some of Europe’s largest regeneration projects, Ballymore will bring its vast and varied experience to this landmark development for the city. Sean Mulryan, Group Chairman and Chief Executive of Ballymore, said: “This is modern, sensitive and highly sustainable urban design at its best and Ballymore is honoured to be a custodian of the site’s heritage, while adding the next layer of history and legacy to this important area of Dublin. 

“By balancing new and carefully considered interventions with heritage buildings, which are being repurposed and given a new lease of life, our vision is that St. James’s Gate will be among the finest examples of sustainable urban development, protecting the cultural, community, social, and industrial legacy of this part of Dublin 8 and the Liberties. It will be a development that everyone in Dublin will be proud of and enjoy,” he added. 

Barry O’Sullivan, Managing Director, Diageo Ireland said; “The history and heritage of Guinness and St. James’s Gate for Dublin and the local community is hugely important. It is a unique and special place. The plan that has been created respects this historic community while also transforming it into one of the most dynamic neighbourhoods in Europe.

“This allows us to continue our centuries old brewing operations in Dublin 8 while also developing the area into a truly modern place to live, work and play. We have engaged extensively with the local community to develop this plan and look forward to further conversation as we take the next step on the journey towards creating the Guinness Quarter.”

Ballymore and Diageo have placed sustainability at the heart of their proposals for Guinness Quarter. The joint ambition is to create Dublin’s first operational zero-carbon district that respects both the wider community and the natural environment.

This vision for the Guinness Quarter has been strongly influenced by extensive engagement with the local community since 2017, including over 120 local community groups, public representatives, local businesses, and many others. 

Ballymore has formed a 50/50 joint venture partnership with The London Legacy Development Company (LLDC), to bring new homes, jobs and amenities to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. 

Together, the pair will deliver the transformation of two waterfront sites, one adjacent to the emerging East Bank community, one of the most exciting new cultural and educational districts in the world. 

The partners will create almost 1,200 much-needed new homes – 575 at Bridgewater Triangle (50% affordable) and 600 at Stratford Waterfront (35% affordable) – and ground floor retail spaces. The homes will comprise a range of tenures and typologies, including townhouses and lateral and duplex apartments. 

Stratford Waterfront is a 0.96ha (2.4 acres) brownfield site located in the south of the Park. It is adjacent to East Bank which, when completed, will provide new spaces for BBC Music, Sadler’s Wells, V&A and UAL’s London College of Fashion. The site is bounded by Waterworks River and Carpenters Road.

Bridgewater Triangle is also a brownfield site which extends to 2.4ha (c.5.9 acres) and is bounded by Waterworks River, The Greenway and Pudding Mill Allotments. 

The two sites will deliver high-quality residential developments set in the incredible natural environment of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Residents will be surrounded by global sporting and cultural attractions, revitalised waterways, parkland and new emerging neighbourhoods, with superb transport links to central London and the capital's airports. Two newly established business districts at Here East and International Quarter London are attracting thousands of jobs to the area.

Rosanna Lawes, LLDC Executive Director of Development, said: “We are hugely excited to enter this partnership with Ballymore and to build on what has already been achieved over the last 10 years. 

“Ballymore brings great expertise and proven regeneration credentials to help create thriving new communities with well designed, sustainable homes to meet all needs.” 

Ballymore will now bring its own cultural expertise to the area; the developer has a track record in pioneering regeneration programmes across the capital, each of them anchored by cultural institutions and independent businesses. 

Group Managing Director John Mulryan hopes this approach can be replicated within the new development and adds: “LLDC has been instrumental in creating and attracting some of the biggest cultural and educational names to East Bank.  We are delighted to be partnering with LLDC, supporting the regeneration and delivery of homes in this special and inspiring destination that puts community and culture at its heart.

“Ballymore has been strategically focused on large-scale strategic partnerships with public bodies and this joint venture aligns with that goal.”

The JV hopes to complete the residential development at Stratford Waterfront and Bridgewater Triangle by 2028. 

Ballymore’s Goodluck Hope development at East London’s Leamouth peninsula won “Best place to live” at this year’s Building London Planning Awards.

London’s Deputy Mayor Jules Pipe presented the award to Ballymore and specialist planners Rolfe Judd at the event held on 20 July at City Hall.

The judging panel said they “were particularly impressed by this entry, which embraced its location to create not only a sense of place and community, but in seeking to ensure that Goodluck Hope becomes a destination in its own right.”

The panel added: “Ballymore and their team have created a little gem at the mouth of the River Lea where previously there was a desolate industrial wasteland – if you want to see great placemaking, go visit.”

Simon Ryan and Matt Stone, both projects directors at Ballymore, said: “Ballymore has delivered a new neighbourhood that is all-encompassing, captivating and inspiring, and one that opens up the riverfront for everyone.

“Having transformed Leamouth North with the creation of London City Island - fast-becoming one of London’s leading arts and cultural destinations- Goodluck Hope, just a three-minute walk away, completes the landscape at Leamouth Peninsula, making the whole island area a landmark in riverside living.”

The development was designed by Allies and Morrison with specialist input from planning consultancy Rolfe Judd.

Ballymore sponsored the London School of Architecture’s Summer Design Charrette this month – helping connect the design community with emerging talent as they seek to address critical urban challenges. 

The Summer Design Charrette involved architects and others from non-design backgrounds teaming up with students and the London Borough of Hackney to work on a live project, testing ideas and making recommendations for a new development site in the borough.

Participants made site visits and engaged with other groups throughout the two-day process – sharing ideas and debating topics such as the impact of sun and light, how to create play spaces for all, and creating spaces for music groups. The event concluded with students and architects giving presentations to the charrette groups at Hackney Town Hall.

Speaking at the event, Ballymore’s Creative Director Roger Black said: “Good design is at the forefront of everything Ballymore does. It was refreshing to see the new LSA graduates working alongside experienced practitioners and interdisciplinary experts who all brought different perspectives to the table. There was a healthy exchange of ideas and topics of discussion around how to create a sustainable community space for the residents of Hackney.”

A charrette is a meeting which provides a platform for schools of architecture and their students to showcase their talent and creativity, as well as providing an opportunity to work creatively and collaboratively on a ‘live’ project in a team environment. They are hosted regularly by the design community to provoke new ideas and techniques; speaking of the process, the LSA’s director Lara Kinneir added: “The LSA seeks to fuel and find new ways to design the city, responding to the constantly evolving social, economic, and environmental conditions.

“The summer design charrette allowed us to bring together newly graduated LSA students with practitioners and interdisciplinary experts to do just that and we are hugely grateful to Ballymore for sponsoring the event.” 

Find out more about the London School of Architecture here. 

Ballymore has received planning permission for phase 2 of its Dublin Arch mixed-use development adjacent to Connolly Railway Station in Dublin 1.

Covering 72,300sq m, phase 2 of Ballymore’s Dublin Arch development consists of two residential blocks and four office buildings, all of which overlook a new central public space. The four office buildings can accommodate over 5,000 people and include landscaped gardens, terraces and roof gardens. The two residential blocks will house 187 homes comprising studio; 1 bed, 2 bed, and 3 bed apartments.

Chairman and Chief Executive of Ballymore Sean Mulryan welcomed the decision by saying: said: “We are very happy today to share the great news that we have received planning permission for the next phase of our Dublin Arch development. Ballymore are proud to contribute to the advancement and enhancement of this Dublin City Centre location and we are excited for our work to complement and elevate the existing environment for present and future generations to enjoy. Dublin Arch will be an exemplar in its focus on sustainability, with a commitment to Net-Zero 2030, along with delivering the highest level of sustainability certifications.”

Dublin Arch will include cultural and retail space, a café, and will be the new home to Docklands Boxing Club and St. Joseph’s O’Connell Boys GAA Club, where both clubs will have new facilities. Also included is over 7,000sq m of public open space and over 1,000 bicycle parking spaces for residents, visitors, and workers.

Dublin Arch is situated on lands adjacent to Connolly Station and bounded by Sheriff St Lower, Commons St and Oriel St. It extends to circa 111,000sq m and will include homes, office space, and Ireland’s first Standard Hotel. The masterplan envisages new homes, office buildings, community clubs, artists’ studios, restaurants, bars, retail, landscaped plazas, and a central public square located at the heart of the scheme. With direct access to Connolly Station and conveniently close to Bus and Luas lines, Dublin Arch will be Ireland’s most connected commercial hub.

Group Managing Director, John Mulryan, has shared his vision for the future of the British capital, featuring on a new podcast series entitled: ‘What next for London?’ 

The podcast, which you can listen to here, is produced by London First, which appointed John to its Place Commission earlier this year. The organisation invited John onto the podcast to discuss just how we can sustainably evolve London's built environment.

On the recording, John gives his views on the next 20 years of development in the city, encouraging developers to evolve the capital in a way which “reinforces its existing strengths”, adding that he hopes London will continue to appeal to global investors, global visitors and cultural institutions alike. 

The debate also covered the changing ways in which people use their homes, workspaces and wider cities, with John giving his views on London’s post-pandemic landscape: “Many of us have changed our behaviours... as London has opened back up we’ve seen people pour back into the city.” 

The discussion also touched on the homes shortage in the capital, with John reflecting on the current trajectory adding how he would like to see the rate of development change. 

London First is a business membership group which campaigns to make London “the best city in the world to do business”. The group convenes and mobilises business leaders to tackle the key challenges facing the capital. Its Place Commission brings together leading businesses in the capital including Ballymore, working alongside SEGRO, Grosvenor, the Crown Estate, Arup, Imperial College London and other prominent firms in the hospitality, legal and housing sectors. Together they will answer the question 'how should London's built environment evolve to help people thrive and business to succeed?’.

Click here to listen to the podcast.  

Ballymore has “topped out” the first building in 8^th Lock, the final phase of its development at Royal Canal Park in Ashtown, Dublin 15. The milestone was marked at an event attended by German real estate investment manager, Union Investment, who acquired 8th Lock in 2021.

8th Lock is the first large development in Ireland or the UK to make use of a pioneering low carbon product, Carbon Cure. As part of its commitment to sustainability in all aspects of the supply chain, Ballymore has been working with Kilsaran to introduce Carbon Cure to 8th Lock, a technology where recycled CO₂ is embedded into fresh without compromising performance. To date Carbon Cure has prevented 148,051 tonnes of CO₂ being released into the atmosphere, with millions more to be sequestered into the future. 

Sean Mulryan, Chairman & Group Chief Executive of Ballymore stated: “Today marks a significant milestone as we top out our first building in 8^th Lock and we also achieved a UK and Ireland sustainability first with our use of Carbon Cure. At Ballymore, we’re committed to playing our part in a more sustainable and carbon conscious construction sector. I know Union Investments shares our drive for sustainability excellence and fully supports the use of such state-of-the-art sustainability practices.”

Martin Schellein, Head of Investment Management Europe at Union Investment Real Estate GmbH: “We were attracted to 8th Lock by Ballymore’s reputation for delivering high quality residential developments built in a sustainable manner. We are very pleased with our collaboration to date and delighted to witness this week’s important milestone. Boasting high sustainability standards and located in close proximity to Dublin City, the completed 8th Lock will be a landmark property in our European residential portfolio”.

Ballymore’s use of this low-carbon concrete product will save hundreds of tonnes of embodied carbon during construction. In another first for Ballymore, 8^th Lock is also designed to perform to the NZEB 2030 standard, which is futureproofed to ensure the development will operate at 2030 energy performance levels upon completion.

Planning for 8^th Lock at the site of the former Ormond Printworks on Rathoath Road was granted in May of 2020. When this final phase of Ballymore’s Royal Canal Park project is complete, the overall 162,000 sq m development will consist of over 1,630 homes, office space, cafes, and retail units including an already operating Aldi supermarket.

Three Snowhill in Birmingham has won a 2022 British Council for Offices (BCO) Award – an accolade which recognises the highest quality developments in the office sector across the UK.

Three Snowhill is the largest-ever speculative city centre office scheme built outside London attracting tenants including BT. Ballymore completed the structure in 2020, delivering a 420,000 sq ft office building comprising 17 floors of prime Grade A office space. The building also features a central glass atrium, car parking, a gym and communal basement amenities including extensive changing rooms with showers, lockers, saunas, bike parking and repair facilities.   

BCO judges called the building a “visionary Grade A development”, commending the facilities, floor plates, and views over Birmingham. The judges also acknowledged its embodied carbon benefits; the design and construction performance was carefully and comprehensively measured, achieving BREEAM Excellent, EPC B and WiredScore Platinum 100/100.

Three Snowhill is the third and final building to be created on the 4-acre site close to Birmingham’s Snow Hill station, in the city’s Colmore business district. This major project has seen the creation of a total 1 million sq ft of office space in three state-of-the-art buildings. Ballymore has also enabled the creation of a new square beside St Chad’s Circus and the delivery of a viaduct beside the station for the Midland Metro light rail extension. 

John Mulryan, Group Managing Director at Ballymore, said: “From the outset, our plans for Snowhill pushed boundaries. Our vision was that this prime site in Birmingham City Centre could and would be re-invented as the city’s premier business location.  This award is testament to that and to our approach to sustainable design, creating something which has become home to the recognisable businesses now thriving here.

"Congratulations to everyone in the Ballymore team involved in delivering this exciting project - a fantastic and well-deserved achievement."

The award is the third accolade presented for Snowhill in the past year – a period in which Ballymore has won seven awards. 

Ballymore has applied for planning permission to repurpose the Brewhouse 2 building at St. James’s Gate in Dublin into a modern office space.

The building, which was once part of Guinness’ brewery operations, will create a major headquarters building for Diageo Ireland, which will anchor the overall scheme.  Refurbishing this building will also facilitate the wider redevelopment at St. James’s Gate.

Ballymore Chairman and Chief Executive Sean Mulryan said: “Together with Diageo we are delighted to take this step in the development at St. James’s Gate. The regeneration of Brewhouse 2, as a new, modern office space, will create a new long-term home for Diageo Ireland, and facilitate the wider redevelopment of the Guinness Quarter.”

The news comes after Ballymore was appointed by Diageo as development partner to create the visionary neighbourhood for living, entrepreneurship, creativity and commerce at St. James’s Gate. Together, the pair are realising a vision for this iconic site to become a standard bearer for the city’s future, as Dublin’s first zero carbon district.

The Brewhouse 2 planning application is separate to a masterplan for the wider St. James’s Gate site, which will be finalised by Ballymore over the coming months. The masterplan will set out ambitions for a high quality, mixed-use scheme that will be fully integrated into the wider Liberties area of the city. It will focus on placemaking and have a strong emphasis on embedding quality of life and a connection to community, arts and culture. 

The Brewhouse 2 proposal repurposes the building with modern elements of high quality and appropriate urban design, which will be sympathetically incorporated into the existing structure.

Subject to planning approval, it is expected that construction of Brewhouse 2 will take approximately three years.

Dublin Landings has been awarded the 2022 Urban Design & Architecture Award – the second accolade to be presented to the waterfront scheme this year.

Judges noted “the project is distinguished by its stunning architecture and striking landscaping”, as well as referencing to the “calibre of the tenants who have chosen to take space there”; businesses now anchored at Dublin Landings include We Work, The Central Bank of Ireland and the National Treasury Management Agency.

Speaking of the award, which comes just months after Ballymore earned the CBRE Excellence in Placemaking award for the scheme, developments director David Killion said: “Much thought was put into the designs for Dublin Landings, with a sensitive approach that has drawn on the Docklands’ rich heritage, while injecting green space in the form of tree-lined avenues and squares.

“This architecture award is testament to our efforts, and a credit to all involved with the design of a scheme that we hope raises the bar for Dublin.”

Hailed by the Irish Times as “one of the most important regeneration projects ever undertaken in Dublin”, Dublin Landings is a culturally-rich quarter for the city, with more than 1 million sq ft of commercial space – including five Grade A office buildings – and 268 apartments.

This brand-new urban community in the centre of the city, has reopened a disused Docklands site connected to the River Liffey. Find out more about it here.

London’s brand new Crossrail link is a fantastic addition to the capital’s transport network, making it a whole lot quicker and simpler to travel across the capital. The Elizabeth Line’s distinctive silver grey and purple trains entered service from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east on 24 May, just ahead of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The route and its 41 stations - 10 of them brand new - have not only increased connectivity in the capital but have also put areas of west and east London in the spotlight, bringing them within easier reach and highlighting the qualities that make them great places to live. 

At the western end of the line, West Ealing station already provides a rail service into London Paddington, but the station has been significantly spruced up to welcome the Elizabeth Line. With its host of historic houses and gardens – including Syon House to the north of the River Thames and the famous Kew Gardens to the south – this area of London has long been known for its heritage and open spaces. 

The station is a short cycle or bus ride from The Brentford Project, Ballymore’s emerging new neighbourhood of homes, restaurants, cafes and shops, set between Brentford’s High Street and the River Brent. Once obstructed by industry, this major stretch of the riverside will be regenerated and made accessible to the public, with a new promenade adding to the open spaces of west London.

Travelling east, Canary Wharf station now serves both the Jubilee and Elizabeth Lines, giving journey times to Paddington station of just 17 minutes and Heathrow Airport of 38 minutes. Canary Wharf has already established itself as a city within the capital city, being home to such global financial names as Barclays and JP Morgan, more than 300 restaurants, bars and shops and 20 acres of parks and gardens. 

Canary Wharf’s disused docks and Thames riverside sites have provided a wealth of potential to create highly desirable, high-rise waterfront neighbourhoods, including EcoWorld Ballymore’s Wardian. From its spa and gym and its lush gardens to the wood and other natural materials used in its apartment finishes, Wardian is a tranquil retreat that has all the attractions of city living on its doorstep.

Custom House is one of the 10 new stations on the Elizabeth Line and is its only station located above ground. The station serves the Elizabeth Line and the existing Docklands Light Railway, providing a link to the nearby ExCel exhibition centre, the Royal Docks and the new City Hall occupied by London’s mayor and the Greater London Authority. 

A footbridge across the dock leads to the River Thames, the Thames Barrier, Thames Barrier Park and Ballymore Oxley’s Royal Wharf. With more than 3,000 new homes, the new Lyle Park, a school, doctor’s surgery, pub, community centre and more, this is a sustainable neighbourhood boasting amenities and some 500m of river frontage. It is now growing with the addition of Riverscape, an adjoining development of 769 homes across 10 buildings, to form a place that is family-friendly and has the everyday essentials of living within easy reach.

The Elizabeth Line’s opening has been a long time coming, but it promises to boost London’s rail capacity by 10%, which is the biggest single expansion of the city’s transport network in more than 70 years. Its effect on east and west London has yet to be seen, but it is certain to enable more people to discover its green spaces and neighbourhoods, and perhaps make their home there.

Ballymore has joined the newly-launched London First Place Commission, helping to produce a framework and recommendations to evolve London's built environment as it recovers from the pandemic. 

Underpinned by research and analysis by Deloitte, the Place Commission will bring together leading businesses in the capital including Ballymore, working alongside SEGRO, Grosvenor, the Crown Estate, Arup, Imperial College London and other prominent firms in the hospitality, legal and housing sectors. Together they will answer the question 'how should London's built environment evolve to help people thrive and business to succeed?’.

Ballymore’s UK Managing Director John Mulryan is one of the organisation’s newly appointed commissioners and said: “I am delighted to be joining industry peers, sharing Ballymore’s knowledge and expertise as we help to shape London’s future.

“I look forward to collaborating with all involved and moving forward with new ideas for the capital’s built environment.”

John Dickie, Chief Executive at London First, added: "London’s evolution as a place is vital to the city's future economic success and its global competitiveness. Decisions made now will affect how we live, work and socialise in the capital for decades to come; so it is critical that we get them right. The business leaders on our Commission will look at new trends and old challenges to set a fresh vision and programme of action for London to make it a better place."

London First is a business membership group which campaigns to make London the best city in the world to do business. The group convenes and mobilises business leaders to tackle the key challenges facing the capital. For further information click here.

Royal Wharf Primary School has been named as a winner of a 2022 RIBA London Award – one of the most prestigious awards in architecture – with judges calling the school “joyful and inspiring.”

The school was designed by architects Feilden Clegg Bradley and stands at the heart of Ballymore and Oxley’s Royal Wharf neighbourhood in the Royal Docks,  a brand new, 3,385-home neighbourhood completed in 2020.

Visiting the school, judges praised its “brightness and warmth”, noting that they experienced “unbounded delight and joy” as they wandered through the building. They also cited how engaged pupils were with the building.

Speaking of the award, Nicola Zech-Behrens, Project Director at Ballymore said: “Royal Wharf is an exemplary neighbourhood which has provided much-needed new homes for London, and a true community with amenities like this school at its heart.

“We partnered with skilled designers and architects here to raise the design bar here delivering a new neighbourhood that is inclusive, excites and inspires, and opens up the riverfront for everyone. This award is testament to that and demonstrates the important place of Royal Wharf School in this vibrant, dynamic and amenity-rich new neighbourhood.

"Being a mum with two children at primary school age, this has been a project close to my heart and working closely with the Head Teacher and Department for Education has given me some fantastic insight into everyday school life and operations."

The award is the latest accolade for Royal Wharf; features of the development have also won a Civic Trust Award and a New London Award, while the onsite construction team received the Seal of Excellence for Site Management accolade at the national 2018 NHBC (National House Building Council) Pride in The Job awards.

A colourful new art installation has brought together the best of London City Island’s community this month, with a sculpture, performative dance piece and post-production film, all created by Islanders and creative partners of Ballymore.

Catching Colour is an outdoor public sculpture by Rana Begum. The installation is Ballymore’s latest collaboration with The Line – an ambitious public arts trail; it  features colourful ‘clouds’ of suspended coloured mesh, expertly displayed to appear as if they are floating above the central pathway of the square.

The installation was launched as part of a Catching Colour event on 9th April - one attended by a host of guests including actor Bill Nighy (pictured below). Ballymore co-hosted the event with English National Ballet whose acclaimed Associate Choreographer, Stina Quagebeur, coordinated a five-minute dance piece in response to the sculpture. Bringing in even more of the Island’s community, the piece was then filmed by a graduate from the London Film School.

Speaking of the event, Olivia Payne, Regional Sales Manager at Ballymore, said: “This is a vibrant, colourful example of our community coming together, bringing the Island’s creative minds to the epicentre of the neighbourhood, resulting in an expressive performance that captured the attention of so many people on the day.

“We thank The Line, English National Ballet, the London Film School, and all of the other collaborators for capturing the essence of our community, and instilling joy in our Islanders’ hearts with this stunning work.”

The sculpture is now on display in Botanic Square on the Island. The ‘clouds’ are inspired by memories from Begum’s Bangladeshi childhood and her recollection of the forms and reflections cast by fishing nets suspended over water – the work is a fitting response to the natural environment of London City Island and the River Lea that winds around it.

Speaking of her work, artist Rana Begum concluded: “I am really excited about this project. It has been the product of years of experimentation and thought, travelling in many directions before it arrived to what it is today.

“While challenging, designing this outdoor, large-scale installation has allowed me to push this body of work in new directions beyond the studio. I am so excited for the work to be outside and for it to be transformed by the changing seasonal landscape and variations in light. I think these environmental changes will make the work come alive, creating a new experience for the individual every time they pass by and encounter the work. It is a privilege to have my work included in The Line’s public art walk. I love the way art becomes experienced as part of a journey, as a way of navigating through a city. The work becomes embedded into its urban habitat, surprising us and making us reconnect to our surroundings.”

To find out more about The Line and Rana’s installation, click here.

Ballymore has successfully secured planning permission (subject to a Section 106 agreement)  from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets’ Strategic Development Committee to create a new residential-led, mixed-use development in London’s Docklands. 

The scheme will provide a parkside development of 421 high-quality private and affordable (more than 30%) homes, ranging in size from studios to four-bedrooms within a single building of distinct design. The building will also feature a gym, cycle storage and communal spaces, including a sky lounge, for residents.

It will also include 97sq m of flexible public retail space on the ground floor as well as a new 18,000sq ft (50% of the overall development site) publicly accessible park to the front of the building; the largest open public space since the Jubilee Park was built 20 years ago.

One of the oldest defined streets in the area, Cuba Street is located in Tower Hamlets and sits within the Isle of Dogs Opportunity Area which has been earmarked for 31,209 homes by 2031.  

Designed by architect Morris + Company, the building will boast a dynamic, sculptural look and strong identity, with an aluminium façade and projected red canopy at ground level to denote key entrances to the building. 

Drawing on the vision of a ‘castle in the cluster’, the design of the upper floors of the part 52-, part 32-storey building will add a unique and striking castellated profile to the skyline which will be visible from miles around. The homes have also been carefully designed to optimise the site’s long-distance views and natural light and maximise dual aspects.

The materials and colours have been selected to create a distinctive feel but also complement the immediate environment and more domestic tone of the area, in contrast to the commercial grandeur of nearby Canary Wharf.

Sustainability is central to the design from the sourcing and selection of high performance, low environmental impact materials during the construction phase to the use of highly energy efficient systems, including air source heat pumps to maximise carbon reductions and embrace zero-emissions during the operational phase.  The scheme will also be car-free. 

The development has been designed to contribute to the transformation of the immediate streetscape in accordance with the Council’s Liveable Streets initiative. The new, publicly accessible ‘Cuba Park’ will provide a large new garden-square style green space for the existing and new communities, which will feature a distinctive and playful park that draws inspiration from the indigenous landscape of the area. The park will be a much-needed addition to the area. In addition, 450sq m of biodiverse wildlife boxes on the roof of the building will help protect and enhance biodiversity in the area. 

Though the site has excellent local transport links, including Canary Wharf underground, and several DLR stations and bus routes, the current pedestrian routes through and adjacent to the site are convoluted, with limited connectivity.  A new public route running south from Marsh Wall to Cuba Street will improve the pedestrian network and provide greater connectivity to ‘Cuba Park’. 

Simon Ryan, Projects Director at Ballymore said: 

“We are incredibly excited to see progress around our Cuba Street application. Our plans, if fully approved, will enable us to create a striking new building that is both distinctive from, and complementary to, the existing area. It will create a substantial number of much-needed new homes and bring significant improvements to the surrounding public realm, including half of the site providing a large new garden square for both residents and locals to enjoy."

Bishopsgate Goodsyard Regeneration Ltd, the 50:50 joint venture between international property developers Ballymore and Hammerson, has completed the Section 106 agreement, unlocking the 1.7 million sq ft mixed-use regeneration area in Shoreditch, one of central London’s highest growth neighbourhoods.

The agreement formalises the planning consent, received in late 2020, for the Bishopsgate site and was approved by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, the London Borough of Hackney, Network Rail, Transport for London (TfL) and the Greater London Authority (GLA). It represents the final stages of the planning process and allows the Joint Venture to begin the next phase of development, which will include preparing the detailed design, undertaking site enabling works and working with Network Rail on a delivery and phasing plan, with the first phase of construction anticipated to begin in 2024.

The planning consent also secures 50% affordable housing for the scheme, as well as affordable workspace in Hackney at a 60% discount and retail space, which will support the diversity and affordability for both residents and locals. Social inclusivity and retaining the character and heritage of the local area and repurposing the listed buildings on site will be key themes for the future development plans.

On completion, the development will comprise 10 acres of residential, office, retail and cultural arts space, alongside pedestrianised streets, and a public park on top of the restored historic railway arches that will provide a series of connected gardens, terraces and walkways. The scheme will help drive growth in the heart of Shoreditch as well as provide a significant contribution to London and the local area, with the project estimated to support 11,000 jobs and contribute around £540 million to the economy each year, as measured in Gross Value Add.

John Mulryan, Group Managing Director at Ballymore, said:

“Bishopsgate Goodsyard is one of the most exciting redevelopment sites in London today.  It will bring vitality to the district, create thousands of new jobs and significantly boost the local economy.

“We bought this derelict site almost 20 years ago, having lain idle since 1964.  Over several years we have developed strong relationships with the local people, businesses and councils, the GLA and transport bodies to ensure that the design aligns with their future aspirations for the neighbourhood. 

“With a mix of new homes, sitting alongside workspace, shops, cafes and restaurants, cultural buildings, new streets and one of central London’s largest new parks, this place is designed with wellbeing in mind, where people want to live, work, and enjoy themselves.”

Harry Badham, Chief Development and Asset Repositioning Officer at Hammerson said:

“This site is regarded as one of the last undeveloped sites of significant scale in central London with the potential to lead the way in terms of placemaking and holistic urban regeneration. The completion of this stage of planning and our commitment to bring forward the development of this multi-use neighbourhood reflects our joint ambitions.

“Bishopsgate Goodsyard truly reflects our focus on development and value creation and aligns with our strategy - to create and curate prime city centre destinations by leveraging our experience and capabilities and thereby delivering vibrant urban spaces for our occupiers, customers and the neighbourhoods and communities we serve.

“Both Ballymore and Hammerson are pleased to be working with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, the London Borough of Hackney, Network Rail, TfL and the GLA to enable the investment and delivery of this project."

The Lockdown Room bar and restaurant at Ballymore’s London City Island has raised more than £22,000 to help the people of Ukraine, with a fundraising appeal and event. 

The team at the venue hosted a fundraising initiative on 4 March, donating 50% of all revenue from the day. Residents from London City Island supported the event by donating prizes for an engaging charity auction, which saw visitors to the venue bid for 15 appealing lots, including stays at Soho House hotel in London, a 12-month membership at yoga and meditation studio HUM Yoga, a Christian Louboutin handbag and a spa retreat. 

In its commitment to charitable causes, Ballymore matched The Lockdown Room’s £10,000 fundraising target. The collective efforts of all involved have raised a total of £22,320, to be donated to the British Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal, with the team seeking further donations via a newly established Just Giving page.

Dan Bull, the founder of The Lockdown Room, said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the outcome of these fundraising efforts, and want to extend a huge thank you to Ballymore for generously offering to match our target.  

“London City Island is a great community filled with inspiring people who genuinely want to help. I am thrilled to have found a way to harness their generosity and to have made a difference. 

“The support of our neighbours and of Ballymore has been overwhelming, and my team and I want to acknowledge the kindness of all involved.”

John Mulryan, Group Managing Director of Ballymore, added: “This is a heart-warming example of a community pulling together for a great cause. We are proud to have been involved with the initiative and will continue to work with Dan and our local community on the Island to lend our support to those in need.”

The Lockdown Room at was born out of the pandemic in March 2020 as a sister venue to London City Island’s Espresso Room. The latter also contributed to the fundraising, donating 100% of its merchandise sale profits on the day. 

Dan aims to continue to support the fundraising campaign for Ukraine, and has volunteered his home as part of the UK government’s ‘Homes for Ukraine’ appeal. Anyone wishing to support his efforts can donate to the Lockdown Room’s Just Giving page here.

Ballymore’s newest urban quarter in Dublin is set to welcome an ultra-stylish 200-bed boutique hotel, following an agreement between the developer and boutique hotelier Standard Hotels. The Standard, a boutique brand best known for its city locations, designer décor and cultural happenings, already has hotels in the United States, London and the Maldives, and its upcoming hotel in Dublin Arch will mark its debut in Ireland.

The hotel, which is expected to open in 2025, will be part of the Dublin Arch neighbourhood, which is being developed adjacent to Connolly station in Dublin 1. This major regeneration project will combine homes, office space, retail and restaurants, community clubs, artists’ studios and landscaped plazas. 

Ballymore chairman and chief executive Sean Mulryan said of the agreement, “Our Dublin Arch development highlights our commitment to Dublin’s North East Inner City. Attracting high-calibre commercial partners to this historic area was a key objective and I am thrilled that Standard Hotels have chosen to locate their first Irish hotel in Dublin Arch.”

Amber Asher, CEO of Standard International, echoed that, saying, “We are excited to partner with Ballymore to develop a new home for Dublin’s creative community and a destination for locals and visitors alike.”

Ballymore is inviting the local community to come and have their say on proposals for the Guinness Quarter, which promises to be one of Europe’s most exciting regeneration projects and Dublin’s first zero carbon district. Plans to transform Guinness’ famous St James’s Gate brewery site into a sustainable new neighbourhood will be showcased in a week-long public engagement event running until 5 November at the iD8 Studios in the city. 

Local people will have the opportunity to see and comment on designs for the retail and commercial workspaces, homes, cultural facilities and public spaces planned for the 12.6 acre site. Ballymore is working with global drinks giant Diageo, as well as the local community and stakeholders, to develop the shared vision for this important project.

Ballymore Chairman and Group Chief Executive Sean Mulryan said: “St James’s Gate has over 260 years of history, and so, we have a unique responsibility to ensure that when that famous gate opens, it opens to a place synonymous with good times and memorable experiences. We look forward to discussing that directly with the local community, before then moving forward with a world-class new neighbourhood which draws on a distinct and inimitable part of Ireland’s heritage.” 

A brand-new London Underground station has opened, giving Ballymore's Embassy Gardens neighbourhood a direct link to the heart of the capital. The station at Nine Elms opens alongside another at Battersea Power Station, with these being the first new stations to be created on the Northern line for 80 years.

The stations – both in zone one - are part of the new Northern Line Extension, a 3km-long twin-tunnel railway link extending from Kennington to Battersea Power Station via Nine Elms. Transport for London is planning to run an initial peak-time service on the extension of six trains per hour, with frequency increasing to 12 trains an hour by mid-2022.

The stations have been developed to support the new south London neighbourhood of more than 20,000 new homes. Among these is Embassy Gardens, a growing community of almost 2,000 homes and more than 500,000 sq ft of office and retail space, where the last collection of homes are being created at The Modern. The Northern line extension brings central London within easier reach for residents and gives Londoners even more opportunity to explore Embassy Gardens' parks, cafes and restaurants.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said of the opening of the two new stations: "They will hugely improve connectivity between these two areas and the rest of London, and play a major part in the capitals recovery from the pandemic by supporting thousands of new jobs, homes and businesses".

Councillor Ravi Govindia, Leader of Wandsworth Council and Co-Chair of the Nine Elms Vauxhall Partnership, said: "This huge £1 billion transport investment to extend the Northern line to Battersea Power Station and Nine Elms has been over 10 years in the making, so we are delighted that this growing Wandsworth neighbourhood is now firmly on the London Underground map".

Ballymore’s Chairman and Chief Executive Sean Mulryan has celebrated the successful completion of a regeneration project in his home county of Roscommon in the West of Ireland, which was driven by its local community to give a boost to tourism. He has officially opened a new-look jetty at the marina to the popular fishing spot of Lake O’Flynn, in Ballinlough, following its redevelopment by local body, Ballinlough Development Association. 

Unveiling a plaque honouring the project at Lake O’Flynn, Mulryan said, “I’m delighted to be part of this very important day for Ballinlough and Lake O’Flynn. I look forward to the continued development of the amenities at the lake and I look forward to seeing Lake O’Flynn become a destination for families and tourists visiting the West of Ireland.” 

The need to redevelop the jetty, which was built by Ballinlough Development Association around half a century ago, was highlighted in a feasibility study in 2018. That study won support from local organisation Roscommon Leader Partnership, which provided 75% of the project funding, with the development association raising the remainder through fundraising activities. The Western Development Commission facilitated the project by providing debt finance.

The project was designed by architect Stephen Blake of Co Galway, and construction was by P Webster Construction and Castle Carpentry & Building Services. But local projects like this also rely on the hard work of dedicated local individuals, with the team behind the jetty including Michael Daly (Chairman), Tony Doherty (Secretary), Joe Garvey (Treasurer), Pete Forde, Mary Lynch, Richard and Michaela Siberry, Pat McDonnagh and Anthony Doherty.

Ballymore’s Islander Festival at London City Island has been bringing Londoners together throughout the summer for evenings of movie screenings and live music beside the River Thames at Leamouth Peninsula. With summer now moving into autumn, the festival will be coming to its close on 10 September in a big finale that will feature a performance by singer and X Factor winner Dalton Harris.

Harris promises to end this first ever Islander Festival in style with his appearance at London City Island’s pop-up venue, The Lockdown Room. Best known for his X Factor win in 2018, he says of that time, “Winning The X Factor was a huge accomplishment for me and was one of those moments when I felt like my life’s hard work had paid off. But of course, this is in hindsight. At the time I was overwhelmed and just so focused on trying to do well and work hard”.

Fast forward to 2021 and the Jamaican singer is based in the UK and performing at the Islander Festival, in an event organised with London City Island based recording studio Into the Woods and music production company Three Bears Ent.

Like many artists, Harris has returned to the stage this summer after a lengthy lockdown absence. He says he is looking forward to “truly feeling I am being myself on stage”, adding, “Because lord knows it’s been a while with everything happening with Covid and in the industry.” As an experienced performer, Harris says he doesn’t usually get stage fright before performing, but he explains, “I definitely get nervous, especially since lockdown, since I’ve not been on stage for a long time. I think it might be a bit more heightened than usual but if I don’t get the butterflies then something is seriously wrong. It’s almost a rite of passage, part of appreciating being on stage and my artistry.”

You can catch Dalton Harris on stage at The Lockdown Room on friday 10 September at 7pm (doors open at 6pm). Tickets cost £10 per person and are available to purchase here with 10% of all ticket proceeds going to charity Street Child’s Afghanistan appeal. 

德国房地产投资商联合投资（Union Investment）通过收购巴利摩（Ballymore）在都柏林的皇家运河公园开发的8th Lock项目，首次在爱尔兰的住宅领域登场亮相。 此次收购金额约为2亿欧元，是爱尔兰住宅领域从终端投资者那里获得的第一笔远期融资。

此次融资说明了德联合投资对巴利摩的质量及都柏林住宅业开发的雄厚信心。联合投资欧洲房地产投资管理主管Martin Schellein先生说：“我们很高兴能够与我们的合作伙伴巴利摩一起实现这一宏伟蓝图 。有许多因素使爱尔兰在私人租赁领域（PRS）的市场增长势头非常强劲。”他还表示：“爱尔兰是欧洲人均年龄最年轻的国家，正在经历着强劲的人口增长势头。由于跨国公司的不断入驻，对经济适用房的需求也随之增大，尤其是在都柏林，近年来的建筑开发项目相对较少。另一方面，我们丰富的专业管理经验也会令租赁住房市场从中受益”。

巴利摩董事长兼集团首席执行官Sean Mulryan先生表示："我们致力于为联合投资提供高质量的开发项目，吸引他们与巴利摩合作"。 8th Lock 项目是巴利摩皇家运河公园改造项目的最后一期，该项目涵盖了都柏林市中心西北部的Ormond Printworks的旧址。该工程共有5栋建筑，从第5层到第14层，将提供约31,000平方米可出租的空间，其中约28,000平方米为住宅。住宅部分将包括435套一居室和两居室的带家具公寓，全部用于私人出租，剩余则属于商业专用空间。

“我们很高兴欧洲最有经验和最受尊敬的房地产投资管理公司之一——联合投资能够投资我们的8th Lock项目，”Mulryan先生说。他还表示：“无论是项目的宏观规划还是最后的交付使用，巴利摩一直是以顶级的设计和精湛的创意而著称的。”

一旦政府Covid-19的相关规定允许，8th Lock项目的施工建设将会开始，该项目计划于2023年10月至2025年3月完工。

联合投资公司由世邦魏理仕（CBRE），A＆L Goodbody和普华永道（PWC）三家公司担任顾问。

A 2021 summer events programme dubbed Meet Me At the Pier has got under way on Royal Wharf’s beautifully landscaped 1km riverside stretch between Lyle Park and Thames Barrier Park, just south of Royal Victoria Dock in East London. Running now until end of September, the activities offers family fun, free things to do, live music and much more. 

The main event in the Riverscape Pop Up, a riverside bar and terrace that’s open from 11am to 8.30pm until 26 September. The pop-up’s menu extends from morning coffee through to Aperol spritzes, small batch beer from Hackney’s Five Points Brewery, sustainable British wine and other local bites to eat, including Brick Lane bagels. There will be live acoustic music on Thursday and Friday nights at 6pm, helpfully coinciding with happy hour, where all F&B is 20% off (between 5pm – 6pm). 

The Royal Wharf park will come to life with feel-good summer festival vibes with its own Summer Fete between 11am to 6pm. The all-day fete will be a fun day out for all the family - with jumbo garden games, live acoustic music, face painters, a magician and balloon modellers, alongside a range of gastronomy food vendors. The fete will also showcase the wealth of locally-based talent, with community artists displaying their artwork for sale, and businesses offering on-the-go treatments; whether that be a quick doggie groom or a manicure! For those seeking a healthy start to the day, personal trainer Michael Baah will be hosting a HITT workout, and One Element will be holding a running session, both at 10am. 

For those keen to pick up a selection of locally sourced produce, the farmers market between 11am – 3pm will continue every second Sunday of the month located in the heart of Royal Wharf - with the next one on 12 September. Then every last Friday of the month, Royal Wharf will continue to host Street Food Fridays, which hosts an international line-up of food vendor between 3pm – 9pm - with the next ones on 27 August and 24 September.

A series of regular Thursday Lates will also give visitors a chance to meet our team in the Riverscape Sales Gallery, enjoy a glass of something cool and refreshing, and discover Riverscape in more detail.

Ballymore has agreed a strategic partnership with supermarket giant Sainsbury’s to develop homes, retail space, community amenities and workspace on an 18 acre canalside site at Ladbroke Grove, in west London.

The agreement will see Ballymore holding a 60% share in the partnership to develop one of the last major brownfield opportunities to be brought forward in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The site is part of the council’s Kensal Canalside Opportunity Area, which means it has the potential to deliver high numbers of new homes and jobs.

Under emerging plans, the site could be redeveloped with up to 2,800 homes and a canalside town centre, as well as civic spaces and a mix of retail, leisure, cultural, community, small business workspace and educational uses. A new 130,000 sq ft Sainsbury’s store will be developed as part of the regeneration and a historic canal basin is set to be restored.

Sean Mulryan, Chairman and Group Chief Executive of Ballymore, said: “Partnerships like this one show the type of innovative approach needed to tackle London’s housing shortage. We are pleased to be a step closer to submitting an application and realising our ambitions of a mixed-use scheme that will transform the area. We’ve commenced early consultation with local stakeholders and look forward to hearing directly from local people how they envisage the future site can best suit the needs of the local community.”

Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s Property Director, said: “This agreement, which is the result of many years of hard work and commitment across our businesses, represents a momentous opportunity to deliver an exciting new vision for Ladbroke Grove. We have a proud history of serving the local community and are committed to engaging with our customers and residents throughout this project, which will play a substantial role in the revitalisation of the area.”

Big and bold: that’s the best way to sum up the regeneration delivered by Ballymore and development partner Oxley Holdings in Dublin’s Docklands area. After five years of construction activity, a site in the North Docks fronting the River Liffey has been dramatically transformed into Dublin Landings, a city quarter with almost 100,000 square metres of office, retail and residential space spread across 13 buildings in all.

The scheme is remarkable both for the scale and ambition of the transformation. Looking at Dublin Landings today with its garden squares and diverse mix of apartment and office buildings, it is already hard to visualise its past. But this 2.3 hectare site was actually part of Dublin Docklands’ industrial heartland, which spread across more than 500 hectares on the northern and southern banks of the river. Regeneration has brought transport infrastructure to the area, in the form of the LUAS light rail extension, and has attracted new businesses from the tech and financial sectors, making it today one of the best connected areas of the city for business and living.

Recognising the area’s strategic importance for Dublin, Ballymore took a placemaking approach to developing its site, choosing its masterplan architect via an international competition. The competition was won by the Copenhagen practice of ARROW Architects, which came up with a Scandi-influenced masterplan that both reconnected the site to its history and the River Liffey and introduced richly varied streetscapes. Dublin-based RKD Architects was also brought onto the team to help translate this Scandinavian masterplan to its Dublin context.

ARROW’s masterplan includes a diverse collection of buildings, each one highly individual in its detailing and materials and incorporating such unusual features as ‘urban villas’ – two storey houses that perch on top of apartment buildings to form spectacular penthouses. “Every building has its own personality and its own cladding solutions, using combinations of aluminium, glass and brick predominantly,” explains Paul Carty, Director of Construction at Ballymore. The final design and finishes for every building were, therefore, the subject of much deliberation. “Our chairman Sean Mulryan was very passionate about getting the facades, colours and textures of the buildings right and a lot of thought went into that,” continues Carty. “Sean visited the site frequently so there was a very hands-on, senior management approach by Ballymore.”

Careful design and detailing of the buildings have resulted in a scheme that Carty describes as “hand crafted”. He explains: “These are very traditional buildings, which has made it harder for us to construct them. We have lots of hand laid brickwork, cladding systems are bespoke and even the balconies are not standard.” It is this quality that really sets the development apart, he believes. “Other developers will build 300 apartments all the same. Ballymore has set a very different tone with this development. This has a boutique feel to it. It is clearly is a piece of craft and is a statement of what we can do.”

Constructing a new neighbourhood on this scale in a city would inevitably present its challenges, with Carty explaining, “It was a tight urban site with access being restricted by the LUAS tram and a bus corridor.” To facilitate delivery, Ballymore opted to build the homes itself, while it procured a general contractor to construct the commercial element. That meant around 1,000 workers were working on both the residential and commercial build at the peak of site activity, until the pandemic came along. “We were only half way through the residential build, with only one of eight blocks handed over, when Covid arrived,” recalls Carty. “We had to change our way of building very significantly. As the building layouts are very cellular, we had to have one person working on an apartment instead of 10, for example. It was a challenge to meet the programme and observe Covid protocols, but the staff were extremely diligent and performed exceptionally well.”

The completed development comprises 298 one, two and three bedroom apartments plus resident amenities, 70,000 square metres of office space and 1,600 square metres of retail and leisure space. Investor Greystar acquired the homes for its private rental portfolio, while occupiers of the commercial space include The Central Bank of Ireland, National Treasury Management Agency and co-working space provider WeWork. One office building that was sold to property company IPUT Real Estate now includes Microsoft among its tenants.

All the commercial space was let or sold ahead of the scheme’s completion. “We reached out to businesses who we wanted to attract here, as well as those who we knew were looking for new space in the market. It was about being transparent and sharing our vision with them,” says David Killion, Ballymore’s Development Director. “Tenants and purchasers have told us that they took comfort from knowing they were going to be part of a completed place.

“Our vision was to create somewhere which raised the bar in Irish architectural design, helping Dublin’s docklands meet the standards of other global financial centres,” Killion adds. With its distinctive buildings and a new ‘urban wild’ landscape of wildflowers, herbs and grasses growing up in the squares and streets threading between them, the neighbourhood is already rapidly taking on the look of an established place.

Annual dragon boat racing competition the Dragons at The Docks is a key date in the Irish property industry’s calendar and a vital fundraiser for a number of extremely worthy causes. But this year’s event won’t be taking place in its conventional venue of Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock, because large-scale live events continue to be limited by pandemic precautions.

So in place of the live event, this year the organisers have come up with an ingenious virtual contest that encourages participants to get active while raising money for good causes. For 2021 the competition is setting teams the challenge of walking, crawling, running, rowing or cycling the almost 10,000km distance from Dublin to Hong Kong, the home of dragon boat racing itself. For this special virtual contest, progress towards the destination will be tracked via the Strava fitness app.

Participating teams, which can have up to 20 members, just have to sign up to take part, pledge to hit the competition’s fundraising target and make the virtual journey by 26 August.

The competition benefits five charities based in Ireland, including homelessness charity Dublin Simon Community, Aware – which supports sufferers of depression – the Alone charity for the elderly, ISPCC – the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children - and Women’s Aid. The event has been bringing Ireland’s property industry together to do good since 2017, so far raising more than €893,000 for local charities.

Ballymore is supporting the event and there’s the opportunity for colleagues to take part by signing up here. It’s a great way to give others a helping hand.

There’s more to making a place than constructing new homes, office buildings and community amenities. New places don’t truly take shape until they are bustling with people keen to make the most of their surroundings and what they have to offer. That’s why developer Ballymore organises events that bring people and vibrancy to its new neighbourhoods.

This summer, our east London developments London City Island and near neighbour Goodluck Hope are hosting major events that will delight sports fans, cinema-goers and gourmets alike.

London City Island is home to a summer of fun with the Islander Festival taking place from 27 June to 10 September. The community-focused festival is currently showing free screenings of the Wimbledon tennis championship and will also be featuring family-friendly blockbuster movie screenings, running from July 12-18.

Screenings are taking place on a 15 metre square screen in London City Island’s Hopewell Square, under a covered marquee with open sides to keep the audience protected from unseasonal weather. Local businesses will even be providing snacks and drinks for the screenings, including homemade gourmet popcorn, ice cream sandwiches, mojito ice lollies and English and international wines. With street food markets – plus added live music performances - also taking place on July 24 and 30, August 13 and 27, and September 3 and 10, there’ll be plenty of life at London City Island over the summer months. You can also watch the Wimbledon finals here in style with our hampers for two. Each hamper includes these quintessentially British items, a Bottle of Nyetimber Classic Cuvee, strawberries & cream, assorted tea sandwiches, traditional cakes and x2 reserved seats at The Islander’s Wimbledon Championship Finals 2021. To book yours click here. Please note, orders close three days before the final so get them whilst you can!

For a schedule of the Islander Festival events click here and follow @londoncityislandlife on Instagram.

At Goodluck Hope from July 14-17 a gastronomy festival is the main event, featuring top chef Scott Hallsworth, the former head chef of Michelin starred restaurant Nobu. Called GASTRONOMY@Goodluck Hope, the dining pop up will be housed in a glass pavilion fronting the River Thames, where diners will be able to enjoy Hallsworth’s Japanese-inspired, six course tasting menu. The menu will include such dishes as Singapore chilli crab and avocado wonton ‘bombs’, beer marinated rib-eye tataki, and Nanyang coffee brulees with coffee crumble, making it truly a gourmet experience.

Tickets for GASTRONOMY@Goodluck Hope are £60 per person – including the set menu and welcome drink - and are available to purchase here.

This month the last collection of homes in the popular new neighbourhood at Embassy Gardens in London’s Nine Elms comes to the market. The Courtyard Collection at The Modern comprises 153 suites and one, two and three bedroom apartments, all boasting a bold and contemporary style.

“The Modern is the last piece of the Embassy Gardens story,” says Roger Black, Creative Director at developer Ballymore. “The interiors of these apartments are very beautiful, special and different to what has come before.” Designed by London-based design duo Benningen Lloyd, the Courtyard Collection’s homes combine craftsmanship with bold colours, drawing inspiration from nearby New Covent Garden Flower Market. Apartments in the 21 storey Modern building floor have light-filled, airy interiors with extensive glazing to allow views across the capital.

Embassy Gardens has transformed an 8 hectare site beside the River Thames. It is now home to the US Embassy, publisher Penguin Random House’s new office, a bustling neighbourhood with cafes and top restaurants such as chef Robin Gill’s Darby’s, landscaped gardens and more than 1,500 apartments. It is also the location of London’s newest landmark, the Sky Pool, a transparent pool installed some 35 metres above street level between two of Embassy Gardens’ apartment buildings.

The development’s own Eg:le club allows residents and their guests access to the Sky Pool and includes a range of amenities. These include a concierge service, club lounge, two workspace suites, private cinema, indoor pool and spa and health and fitness club.

“The popularity of Embassy Gardens has been growing in line with Nine Elms’ remarkable transformation, and the addition of The Modern creates more homes in response to this demand, completing this leading mixed-use development’s residential journey,” says John Mulryan, Group Managing Director of Ballymore.

Almost a hundred iPads have been distributed to primary schools across County Roscommon, in Ireland, in an initiative designed to give children additional support in their education. The upcycled iPads are being given to special needs assistants in Primary Schools to help them in their teaching and support work with pupils.

The donation has been facilitated by Ballymore Chairman and Chief Executive Sean Mulryan and Variety, the Children’s Charity of Ireland, as part of a commitment to promoting equal access to education. Kevin O’Brien, Head of Marketing and Fundraising at Variety, says, “Variety Ireland relies on donors like Sean Mulryan of Ballymore to help us deliver projects that directly benefit children who may need that extra bit of support with learning in the classroom. As a society we need to protect and help our most vulnerable and in doing so we also need to protect the environment. These upcycled iPads do just that”.

The donation of iPads follows on from an initiative last year that saw all 7,500 national school children in Roscommon given a tree to plant in their garden. In recognition of his work, Mulryan has been named the first recipient of Variety Ireland’s Environmental Award. He says, “Supplying upcycled iPads to help special needs assistants is a fantastic idea that will have a big impact on the education of children who may need that little bit more help with their learning. Both our iPad and tree initiatives are designed to help children and spark young people’s curiosity.”

Temperatures soared to the hottest day of the year for the launch of The Brentford Project on Saturday June 1, the new arts and culture summer festival of music, yoga, fun and food celebrating a new chapter for one of west London’s best-kept secrets.

Nearly 1,000 local residents, joined by neighbours from nearby Hounslow, Chiswick and Kew, basked in temperatures of 27.6 degrees on the banks of the River Brent with music from Donel, this year’s runner up in The Voice talent show and Michael Rice, the UK’s contender in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

VIPs attending the event included the leader of Hounslow Council, Councillor Steve Curran, who proclaimed: “The Brentford Project is the rebirth of Brentford. We’ve been waiting a long time for this day, and I’m really excited about what this means for Brentford and for the future.

“Without question, the Brentford Project will bring a vitality to the town, lots of people have been waiting a long time for it, and now it’s here I think they’ll be delighted. Brentford’s a special place. It’s a special place in South West London and it’s a special place in Hounslow.”

He was joined by John Mulryan, group managing director of Ballymore, whose redevelopment of the yards and lanes between the high street to the waterfront will bring a lively mix of restaurants, bars and retail to complement a new residential quarter. John explained:

“The Brentford Project is an initiative to try to engage with the community and bring people in, and make sure that as we develop the town centre, it’s done with the community”

“It’s trying to get people to really help us to create this town centre. When you develop in a town like this, the key thing is that you develop in a way that encourages the spirit of the town to grow, by engaging in the community through culture, through arts, through creativity, through design.”

At the launch, friends and families enjoyed delicious fresh pastries and sausage rolls from Brentford’s new bakery and restaurant, Rye by the Water, who turned out more than 1,000 specially-baked pizzas – with a little help from celebrity Irish chef Robin Gill who joined new head chef Ben Rand and Janine Edwards, head baker, in the bakery.

Another big attraction was the classic car collection of the Duke of London with enthusiasts driving their own cars to showcase at the event.

The following week on Thursday June 6, a Beer and Blues event will take place at Rye by the Water with a chance to sample some of west London’s finest craft beers served against a backdrop of blues by Brentford’s very own Robert Hokum.

And on July 11 visitors can join a start-up masterclass with local entrepreneur Merlin McCormack, the man behind Duke of London who will share his knowledge, tips and tricks for building a successful business.

Looking ahead to July 6, Zen in the City will feature yoga and mindfulness classes with RJ Mind Body while on Saturday August 31, the ‘makers of Brentford’ will be coming together for a showcase of the best arts and crafts the area has to offer, with creative workshops and an art exhibition curated by local artist groups.

Finally in mid-August, the Changing Face of Brentford will peel back the layers of the area’s rich history revealing some fascinating insights with the Brentford & Chiswick Local History Society with a private dinner hosted in the beautiful surroundings of Rye by the Water.

Visit www.thebrentfordproject.com/events for more information or to book your place.

German real estate investor Union Investment is making its debut in Ireland’s residential sector with the purchase of developer Ballymore’s 8th Lock development, at Royal Canal Park in Dublin. The acquisition, priced at around €200 million, is the first forward funding deal by an end investor in the Irish residential sector.

The move is an expression of investor confidence in both the quality of Ballymore’s development and the broader Dublin residential sector. “We are delighted to be able to realise this ambitious project with our partner Ballymore,” said Martin Schellein, Head of Investment Management Europe at Union Investment Real Estate GmbH. A number of factors made Ireland attractive for the private rented sector (PRS) market, he said: "Ireland has the youngest population in Europe and is experiencing strong demographic trends. Due to the continuous settlement of multinational corporations, there is a high demand for affordable housing, particularly in Dublin and there has been relatively little construction activity in recent years. On the other hand, the rental housing market will benefit from our professional management approach.”

Sean Mulryan, Chairman and Group CEO of Ballymore said, “We are committed to providing Union Investment with the high-quality development that attracted them to partner with Ballymore”. The 8th Lock development is the final phase of Ballymore’s Royal Canal Park regeneration, which occupies the former Ormond Printworks site, to the north west of Dublin city centre. Its five buildings, rising from four to 13 storeys, will provide around 31,000 square metres of net lettable space, around 28,000 square metres of which will be residential. The residential element will comprise 435 one and two bedroom furnished apartments, all for private rent, with the remaining space being earmarked for commercial use. 

“We are delighted that Union Investment, one of the most experienced and respected real estate investment managers in Europe, has agreed to acquire 8th Lock,” said Mulryan. “From project conception through to delivery, Ballymore projects are renowned for best-in-class design and innovation.”

Construction of 8th Lock is set to begin once government Covid-19 guidelines allow, with completion being scheduled for between October 2023 and March 2025. 

Union Investment was advised by CBRE, A&L Goodbody and PWC.

Culture, classic cars and a feast of culinary delights can be experienced this summer in a series of events at The Brentford Project, Ballymore’s upcoming development in west London. Now in its second year since 2019, the popular Summer Series runs from June to September, with a showcase of local creativity and cultural inspiration.

Fresh produce, street food, refreshments, flowers, terrariums and more will be on sale in The Summer Market, taking place on three Saturdays in June, July and August. Ballymore has teamed up with market specialist RMS Markets to bring artisan and fine foods, and a host of other treats.

Brentford’s own classic and supercar hub Duke of London, which is based at The Factory at The Brentford Project, is displaying its wares, while neighbouring local business, Rye by the Water, is serving up its regular drinks and snacks menu. Local artist Mark Pearce is leading a series of art classes, offering a chance to capture Brentford’s special waterside environment under Pearce’s expert guidance.

Culture comes in other forms, with The Walking Theatre Company transforming The Brentford Project’s outdoor spaces into an island setting for a production of The Tempest and Athens for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, both taking place in August. There are inspirational stories and business insights from a string of speakers taking part in The Summer Talks, which can be viewed in person, or online via The Brentford Project’s Instagram IGTV channel. Speakers in the line-up include Elizabeth Haigh, Michelin starred chef and founder of Kaizen House, Grace O’Neill, journalist and co-host of podcast After Work Drinks, and Victoria Prew, CEO and co-founder of wardrobe rental platform, HURR Collective.

For those wanting to get out and active over the summer, there is a timetable of classes and workshops, including weekend workouts with cult fitness brand House of Voga, whose classes are set to a 1980s house music beat. And those looking to get a little closer to nature have a chance to learn more about plants, terrariums and the natural world in monthly workshops by the creatives behind Glass Gardens London.

All events in The Summer Series programme adhere to the Government guidelines in place at the time and are fully compliant and Covid-19 safe. Log on to www.thebrentfordproject.co.uk to find out more about the programme and book your tickets for this year’s events.

Cafes, bars and restaurants at Ballymore’s London developments are ready to welcome customers over the spring and summer, as England’s lockdown is eased. Venues are opening in April with a host of new and improved options for visitors eager to enjoy outdoor drinks and dining in style, close to the River Thames.

Among the first to open its terrace on 12 April is the brand new Homeboy Bar at Embassy Gardens, in west London’s Nine Elms. This is the second Homeboy Bar created by Irish bartending duo Aaron Wall and Ciaran Smith in the capital, and like its Islington predecessor it offers a modern take on renowned Irish hospitality. The bar is set to have its official launch in May, when the government roadmap for England plans to allow indoor service, but before that there is a chance to try Homeboy’s distinctive cocktails and snacks alfresco.

Embassy Gardens’ popular established cocktail bar, The Alchemist, is also opening for outdoor table service, on a non-reservable basis, with a full drinks and select food menu. Nearby café and salon Linnaean is offering customers the opportunity to enjoy its new spring menu and a long-awaited pampering with a hair or beauty treatment or visit to its Medi-Spa.

Embassy Gardens is also home to the NYC inspired oyster bar, open grill and bakery, ‘Darby’s’. Darby’s will be re-opening and serving on their outdoor terrace from the 13th April. ‘The Hatch,’ a lockdown favourite, will also remain in use for takeaway coffee, pastries, and cook at home items until the establishment can fully re open further into the spring.

London City Island, on east London’s Leamouth Peninsula, has a smorgasbord of foodie delights in store for summer visitors. The community’s all-day dining hub, Homestead, opens its terrace on 12 April and is carrying out a makeover of its outdoor space this spring, promising a new outdoor bar and dining area, a barbeque and pizza menu and new planting, lighting, firepits and music to create the perfect ambience for relaxing. It is aiming to re-open for indoor service on 4 June. Visitors to the neighbourhood can also stop by gourmet chocolate shop and studio workshop Cartografie for an extra-special treat.

Also set to make its debut in May is cocktail bar Soda & Friends, a new concept from Nate Brown, the creative force behind such award-winning venues as Merchant House. At Soda & Friends, Brown has created a menu of highballs and cocktails, which will be accompanied by a Japanese-inspired food menu. During the day, visitors will be able to relax with a loose leaf tea.

Last but by no means least, at Royal Wharf, to the east of Canary Wharf, Fullers pub The Windjammer opens its garden on 12 April. For those craving a classic steak and chips or a Sunday roast and a pint, the pub is taking table bookings.

Where is the best place to live? Magazines, television shows and Instagram posts answer that question with pictures of sunny island hideaways, cosy rural retreats and other seemingly idyllic locations. But in reality, quality of life is just as likely to come from having community and amenities all around you in a city.

That has become clear as we have necessarily lived our lives more locally through the pandemic, and it is being confirmed by research studies by the Design Council and others that highlight the importance of being part of a community. Whether it’s a chat with a café owner, the bustle of a weekend market or a stroll around the neighbourhood with friends, we value the opportunity for social interaction close to home. Shops, schools, parks, cycle routes, public transport links and many other elements of a place’s social infrastructure bring us into contact with each other and with nature, expand our horizons and improve our sense of wellbeing.

All these features and more can be found in London, where every neighbourhood has its own distinctive high streets, heritage and open spaces. Docklands, for example, has amenities in Canary Wharf’s shopping centre, its own museum, numerous transport links, the River Thames and the docks themselves. There is also a community within Docklands at Ballymore’s Wardian development, in South Dock.

With 767 homes, Wardian forms its own village community, where residents can work and meet business associates or relax with friends and neighbours. The amenities for residents include a cinema-style screening room, high level lounge and meeting space, gym, pool and spa. The development has its own distinctive environment, being designed to biophilic principles, which promote wellbeing through connections to nature. The connection to nature is most evident in the communal areas’ floor-to-ceiling glass cases containing rare and exotic plants and the apartments’ wraparound balcony gardens.

This is not Ballymore’s only new village in the city. Further east along the River Thames sit the neighbouring waterside communities of London City Island and Goodluck Hope. They too feature resident amenities for relaxation, exercise and meeting friends, neighbours and business colleagues.

London City Island is becoming established as a cultural hub in its own right as a home to new creative businesses, the English National Ballet and, in the future, the London Film School. For their residents, these new city villages have a lot to offer.

English National Ballet’s new headquarters at London City Island is to be named the Mulryan Centre for Dance, in recognition of the support given to date by the family of Sean Mulryan, Chairman and Group Chief Executive of Ballymore, and his wife Bernardine.

The state-of-the-art building, designed by Glenn Howells Architects, has won numerous awards for its design quality and is a transformational project for the ballet company, providing purpose-designed rehearsal space for its world class performers, as well as housing the English National Ballet School and administrative functions. The building is located in the new London City Island neighbourhood, which is close to Canary Wharf, putting ballet at the heart of the east London community. This connection to community is emphasised in the building’s open design, with its large windows, allowing the public glimpses of dancers at work.

“This building has transformed the way we work, providing us with the scale and versatility to be more creative and ambitious than ever before,” said Tamara Rojo CBE, Artistic Director of English National Ballet. “That has been particularly true this last year when, despite the huge challenges faced, it has allowed our dancers to safely rehearse, given us the space to innovate and create, and enabled us to continue connecting with our audiences and communities, near and far.”

Rojo said, “On behalf of all of us at English National Ballet I want to thank Sean Mulryan for his incredible generosity”.

Ballymore Chairman and Group Chief Executive Sean Mulryan has long fostered culture and the arts as part of neighbourhood regeneration in London. He highlighted the value of English National Ballet and the arts more generally, saying, “The arts, culture and design are essential to our lives and to our wellbeing. We must appreciate the significance of the arts to our quality of life; in particular it is this that gives London its soul. English National Ballet is a treasured national asset, and we should all be grateful for what they and other artistic talents, bring to our society. I have been pleased to support them, and urge others to support the arts, especially at this very difficult time.”

London City Island townhouses radically ‘reimagined’ to offer optimum open space and connectivity, lacking in ‘the little box’ design of most traditional models, are making waves.

The individually designed townhouses are the brainchild of leading interior designers, Amos & Amos, which has already worked on key Ballymore developments at Embassy Gardens, Wardian and Dublin Landings since 2013. Said co-founder Jaki Amos:

“We wanted to move away from the traditional idea of the townhouse which sometimes can be a series of boxes, a collection of rooms with a door. We wanted to reimagine a new connectivity with more open space so the ground floor of each townhouse is open plan, with an expansive hallway and open study.”

Materials in the townhouses reference “the industrial nature and heritage and history of the docklands with sleek crittall-style glazed partitions to flood the spaces with natural light and blackened steel to introduce character and soul into the space – not just Dulux brilliant white everywhere!” explained Jaki.

London City Island’s largest homes with uninterrupted views across the River Lea, the townhouses are located next to English National Ballet’s new London headquarters, placing buyers at the heart of an island of art and creativity.

The townhouses are also marked by a vibrant red brick façade, and each has three bedrooms, expansive living spaces, a secluded ground floor terrace and private parking. Three of the properties have lifts, and the largest has five storeys, and features in addition a beautiful private roof terrace for al fresco dining and entertainment.

The kitchens - the heart of each home – include a striking polished concrete island and black stained rough-cut oak dining table as focal points, complemented by timber and brushed brass cabinetry and white-oiled oak flooring.

The living rooms include low marble plinths and contemporary design features, leaving space for large scale art and sculptures. Amos & Amos has also incorporated a range of bespoke fixtures and fittings, including faraday-pattern metalwork and tan leather that reflect the area’s maritime heritage, with industrial bathtubs and matte blackened steel brassware.

There are two townhouse-types available for purchase: four four-storey three-bedroom types and three five-storey three-bedroom townhouse, with prices starting from £1.45 million.

Jaki Amos said: “The townhouses marked a real opportunity to create unique design-led living spaces which build upon the Island’s boldness and creativity, whilst simultaneously referencing the site’s rich industrial past.”

Jenny Steen, Sales Director, Ballymore, added: “Our vision for London City Island has always been to create a vibrant community that is architecturally-led and the townhouses are yet further proof of the unique living spaces on offer at the development.”

Looking at the west London suburb of Brentford today, it’s hard to imagine that an area around its busy high street was once home to an internationally significant plant nursery that in the eighteenth century exported fruit trees and seeds as far away as Australia. This is just one episode in Brentford’s rich but relatively little known local history, which is being researched for Ballymore’s emerging development, The Brentford Project.

The research stems from developer Ballymore’s aspiration for The Brentford Project to be distinctively local. “We’re trying to bring out the history of the site through its stories,” says landscape architect Huw Morgan. Morgan is working with landscape architect Grant Associates to introduce echoes of the past into the development’s new landscaped squares, lanes and other open spaces.

The site sits between the high street and the confluence of the Brent and Thames rivers, and the architects behind the development’s masterplan, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, Glenn Howells Architects and Maccreanor Lavington, are restoring access to the waterfront, which has long been hidden from public view. They are also introducing a series of pedestrian lanes leading to the water that take their lead from the area’s historic industrial yards.

Brentford’s heritage as the capital’s bustling market garden, growing fruit and vegetables and transporting them into the city in willow baskets via the waterways, provide plenty of inspiration for Morgan and other members of the project team. Hugh Ronalds, Brentford’s illustrious nurseryman and horticulturalist, grew some 300 varieties of apples on his six sites, even charting many varieties in a book published in the early 1830s, called Pyrus Malus Brentfordiensis. Under the new development’s landscape design, fruit trees are set to make a reappearance, featuring in the domestic courtyards.

Willow trees growing along the waterfront historically provided the raw material for the area’s numerous basketmakers, whose wares were used to transport fruit and vegetables to the capital. “The painter JMW Turner went to school in Brentford and made pencil sketches of the pollarded willows on the Thames,” explains Morgan. Willows have already been incorporated into the waterside square beside the development’s café, Rye by the Water, and will be reintroduced to their natural waterfront setting under the broader landscaping design.

The new lanes and yards echo history in their more intimate scale and are designed to welcome people into the development, encouraging them to explore the 4.79 hectare site’s open spaces, waterfront, independent cafes and shops. “When you walk along the high street, there is a lack of recognition of how close to the water you are, so the design opens up access and views,” says Morgan. Planting across the overall development will range from large potted trees in the yards to green corridors promoting biodiversity. Podium gardens to the apartment buildings, which will contain 876 homes in all, will each have their own distinctive planting theme, such as woodland or colourful florals.

The resulting quarter will have a mix of landscaped spaces, balancing natural greenery with paved open spaces to allow visitors and residents to find tranquillity or enjoy the bustle of activity. Throughout, the planting will provide a thread linking the site’s past to its future, becoming part of The Brentford Project’s own story.

This has been an extraordinary year and we have all had to do things differently, whether in working, living or staying in touch with our family and friends. Through the year’s adversity, Ballymore has come up with ways of continuing to foster regeneration and placemaking, completing the construction of 2,000 homes in the UK and Ireland and laying the foundations for social and economic sustainability.

We responded to rapidly changing circumstances by introducing a string of innovations and initiatives to help us continue delivering for our customers safely and support our communities. We introduced new working practices on our sites to keep workers COVID-safe and in Ireland worked alongside the government and its Construction Industry Federation to help shape new safety standards. Across our communities we worked with local entrepreneurs to keep supplies of groceries flowing through the first lockdown and help our independent businesses connect with customers.

These achievements and more through 2020 have relied on a little help from our friends, notably the hard work of our team members and our strong relationships with our partners and communities. “I’ve never been prouder of our teams than in this year. I have been humbled by the effort that has been made,” says Ballymore Group Chief Executive Sean Mulryan.

In all, over 1,700 new homes have been handed over at developments in the UK, including Royal Wharf, Goodluck Hope and Wardian in east London. In Ireland we completed over 390 homes and sold out our family homes at Longstone and Bellingsfield, in Naas, County Kildare, in record time. At Royal Wharf, buildings were handed over ahead of schedule during the first lockdown and in September we completed the neighbourhood with its 3,385 homes, school and other amenities. “Perhaps the greatest achievement there was the practical completion of the primary school, just as kids were getting back to school after some challenging months of teaching from home,” points out Mulryan.

At the same time, we’ve been working with local authorities and existing communities to shape future places, submitting planning applications for developments such as The Brentford Project in London and winning the go-ahead for projects including the new neighbourhood at Connolly Street in Dublin and Mill Harbour on the Isle of Dogs, for 1,700 new homes, leisure, two schools, new parks, and retail. There are many more exciting new projects on the way, the best known being The Guinness Quarter at St James’s Gate, in Dublin, where drinks giant Diageo this year chose Ballymore to partner in the creation of the city’s first zero carbon district.

Having overcome the challenges of 2020, Mulryan is now looking ahead. “With so many of our major regeneration projects nearing the end of construction, we’ve got our eyes on the next prize projects,” he says. “Edgware, Ladbroke Grove, Cuba Street and Knights Road…these will all be names you will hear more of in 2021.” Watch this space.

Mural artist Jo Hicks - or Hixxy as she is better known - has completed a bold, nature-inspired work at Ballymore’s Brentford Project, in west London. The new artwork gives a fresh and vibrant face to all four elevations of a multi-storey car park that is awaiting cladding under the large-scale regeneration project.

Hixxy is known for her coloured botanical designs and for her latest work she has taken inspiration from Brentford’s nature, waterways and heritage. Golden marsh marigold flowers, a weeping willow tree, a kingfisher and a great crested grebe all adorn the car park, alongside Brentford Football Club’s trademark bees and an Ionic column, which evokes the nearby grade 1 listed Syon House.

“My aim was to create a positive, beautiful and uplifting image inspired by the local area, giving a very grey building an injection of colour and life,” said the artist. “We’re excited to be working with Hixxy on this artwork project,” said Ballymore managing director John Mulryan. “She has fantastic experience in creating interesting and creative murals across the country that speak to their local audiences in a culturally relevant way.”

The mural will be in place for up to three years, as Ballymore continues to regenerate the site, restoring connections to Brentford’s waterside, creating new public spaces and amenities and developing a neighbourhood of 876 homes. Hixxy’s optimistic vision will play its own part in the regeneration process, said Mulryan. “Her work on the car park building will enliven the town centre with a new point of interest for residents and locals.”

See how Hixxy created the mural by watching the short film, above.

The doors have opened to the first residents at east London’s Wardian, revealing a new way of living in closer harmony with nature in the capital. The scheme in South Dock, close to Canary Wharf, combines sleek, high rise architecture with tranquil greenery and biophilic design to create a rare sanctuary in the city.

The project required its creative team of Glenn Howells Architects and landscape architect Huw Morgan to marry biophilic principles, which aim to foster health and wellbeing by connecting people to nature, with a thoroughly urban design, which comprises two towers rising to 55 and 50 storeys high. The marriage is apparent to visitors entering the 767-home development, as communal areas contain floor-to-ceiling glass cases and spaces planted with more than 100 species of rare and exotic plants. The inspiration for Wardian’s glass cases - and its name - comes from the Wardian case, a protective glass case similar to a terrarium, which was invented by botanist Dr Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward and used by nineteenth century plant collectors.

In keeping with the scheme’s green ethos, residents have their own private gardens, some more than 37 square metres in size. Both homes and gardens can be greened with the help of Wardian’s The Gardener landscaping service, which provides both seasonal plant packages and maintenance. Homes have floor-to-ceiling windows to maximise the sense of light, space and outdoors, while the projecting garden terraces provide solar shading, removing the need for air conditioning. The eco-conscious approach extends to the homes’ interiors, which are finished in natural organic materials.

“A central idea of Wardian was to connect people with nature and outside space,” says Glenn Howells, founding partner at Glenn Howells Architects. “In particular we are keen to see how residents make use of the generous private terraces along with the communal gardens and amenities.” Amenities in the development’s Wardian Club for residents include a cinema, swimming pool and spa and a high level lounge and meeting space with spectacular views.

John Mulryan, Group Managing Director at Ballymore, is proud of the scheme’s design ambition. He says, “We have worked closely with Glenn Howells Architects to create an impressive new addition to the Canary Wharf skyline. This completely unique ‘bringing the outside in’ design concept, on the doorstep of one of the fastest growing commercial districts, has now been realised.”

位於倫敦東部Leamouth半島的巴利摩的開發項目倫敦城市島上，一個全新的全天候的餐飲模式即將推出。這家與眾不同的餐廳名曰Homestead，是服務於倫敦東部新社區的第一家也是主要的一家餐廳。一旦政府的餐飲禁令解除後，餐廳將全天開放，菜單將包括從早到晚的各時段餐飲，餐廳選購的是良心食材的供應商以及小型農場的產品。目前，該餐廳採用外賣、時鮮專櫃和訂購取貨的經營模式，讓人們有多種機會品嚐到他們所提供的食品。

Homestead的這一創意理念是出自創意總監、前Ritz酒店主廚Sven-Hanson Britt，並與Unlocked合夥公司的運營總監Scott Ward以及品牌和傳播總監Tris Hillier共同合作。儘管有疫情的禁令，但這三個飲食業的行家對倫敦城市島充滿信心，還是決定按時開業。 Britt說：“在過去的幾個月裡，東倫敦的餐飲狀況已經完全改變了，這意味著我們之前所了解的外出就餐的情況與現在大相徑庭。我和我的家人已搬到了城市島，這裡是創意和藝術家的中心，需要為他們提供美食。”

Hillier補充道：”儘管目前因疫情採取了封鎖措施，但實際上我們覺得現在是推出Homestead的絕佳時機，因為大家都待在家裡。這是一個讓大家了解我們的絕好時機，所以我們很期待推出Homestead。我們創建Homestead是為了讓城市島的居民將以前只能在餐館享用的菜餚可以購買到家。”

在目前的封鎖期間，Homestead提供外賣包括各式三明治和餡餅，以及蔬菜馬莎曼咖哩和其他烹製菜餚。一旦禁令解除，餐廳將提供堂食和飲品選擇，菜餚的食材選自高品質的小型供應商提供的肉類、魚類和蔬菜，並採用炭烤烹飪。廚房是由前倫敦Maze餐廳的行政總廚James Durrant帶領的一個廚師團隊為客人服務。除此之外，Homestead還有自己的酒吧，在禁令期間，餐廳與Brewdog合作，推出了一個移動酒吧，設在了倫敦城市島的Hopewell廣場上。

Homestead還有時鮮專櫃，這個櫃檯提供優質肉類、手工鮮意大利面、各式奶酪和魚類，所有食材都來提供良心食品的供應商包括英國的當日捕漁船、高福利農場和小型食材手工生產商。時鮮專櫃在禁令期一直保持營業，並將繼續成為Homestead經營的重要組成部分，同時也展現了其向社區提供最佳食材的承諾 。 Britt解釋說：”這一切都關乎產品背後的來源、故事、誠信和可追溯性。最終，家園（Homestead）與社區是水乳交融的，我們將繼續努力為東倫敦不斷壯大的社區提供更多有意義的東西。”

運營總監Ward補充道：“Homestead是一個我們自己以及我們的朋友和家人都趨之若鶩的地方。我們組建的精幹的團隊令人嘖嘖稱讚；我們也感到非常榮幸地在英國服務業面臨困境下還能夠僱傭到如此出色的員工，並能夠直接從農莊、漁民和種植者那裡購買食材，在這個非常的時期給他們以最直接的幫助。” Homestead在封鎖期間的開放時間是每天早上8點到晚上8點。

位于伦敦东部Leamouth半岛的巴利摩的开发项目伦敦城市岛上，一个全新的全天候的餐饮模式即将推出。这家与众不同的餐厅名曰Homestead，是服务于伦敦东部新社区的第一家也是主要的一家餐厅。一旦政府的餐饮禁令解除后，餐厅将全天开放，菜单将包括从早到晚的各时段餐饮，餐厅选购的是良心食材的供应商以及小型农场的产品。目前，该餐厅采用外卖、时鲜专柜和订购取货的经营模式，让人们有多种机会品尝到他们所提供的食品。

Homestead的这一创意理念是出自创意总监、前Ritz酒店主厨Sven-Hanson Britt，并与Unlocked合伙公司的运营总监Scott Ward以及品牌和传播总监Tris Hillier共同合作。尽管有疫情的禁令，但这三个饮食业的行家对伦敦城市岛充满信心，还是决定按时开业。Britt说：“在过去的几个月里，东伦敦的餐饮状况已经完全改变了，这意味着我们之前所了解的外出就餐的情况与现在大相径庭。我和我的家人已搬到了城市岛，这里是创意和艺术家的中心，需要为他们提供美食。”

Hillier补充道：”尽管目前因疫情采取了封锁措施，但实际上我们觉得现在是推出Homestead的绝佳时机，因为大家都待在家里。这是一个让大家了解我们的绝好时机，所以我们很期待推出Homestead。我们创建Homestead是为了让城市岛的居民将以前只能在餐馆享用的菜肴可以购买到家。”

在目前的封锁期间，Homestead提供外卖包括各式三明治和馅饼，以及蔬菜马莎曼咖喱和其他烹制菜肴。一旦禁令解除，餐厅将提供堂食和饮品选择，菜肴的食材选自高品质的小型供应商提供的肉类、鱼类和蔬菜，并采用炭烤烹饪。厨房是由前伦敦Maze餐厅的行政总厨James Durrant带领的一个厨师团队为客人服务。除此之外，Homestead还有自己的酒吧，在禁令期间，餐厅与Brewdog合作，推出了一个移动酒吧，设在了伦敦城市岛的Hopewell广场上。

Homestead还有时鲜专柜，这个柜台提供优质肉类、手工鲜意大利面、各式奶酪和鱼类，所有食材都来提供良心食品的供应商包括英国的当日捕渔船、高福利农场和小型食材手工生产商 。时鲜专柜在禁令期一直保持营业，并将继续成为Homestead经营的重要组成部分，同时也展现了其向社区提供最佳食材的承诺 。Britt解释说：”这一切都关乎产品背后的来源、故事、诚信和可追溯性。最终，家园（Homestead）与社区是水乳交融的，我们将继续努力为东伦敦不断壮大的社区提供更多有意义的东西。”

运营总监Ward补充道：“Homestead是一个我们自己以及我们的朋友和家人都趋之若鹜的地方 。我们组建的精干的团队令人啧啧称赞；我们也感到非常荣幸地在英国服务业面临困境下还能够雇佣到如此出色的员工，并能够直接从农庄、渔民和种植者那里购买食材，在这个非常的时期给他们以最直接的帮助。” Homestead在封锁期间的开放时间是每天早上8点到晚上8点。

倫敦市長薩迪克·汗（Sadiq Khan）已批准了靠近利物浦街車站的Bishopsgate Goodsyard地區的重建計劃，將在首都的中心地帶建立一個集生活、工作、文化和休閒於一體的場所。 56年前一場大火燒毀了這裡，目前該地區的複興之路已得到確認，項目的總體規劃獲得市長的支持，該項目承諾將給當地帶來獨立的商家和初創企業、住宅區，充滿活力的社區，豐富的文化以及一個靈感源自曼哈頓高線公園的新公園。

市長的支持對於合資開發商Ballymore和Hammerson來說是一個里程碑，他們合作的經歷已有18年之久，彼此的默契促成了這次在前貨倉和加油站舊址上的重建項目。該地橫跨Hackney和Tower Hamlets，坐落Shoreditch和倫敦老城之間，被巴利摩集團董事長約翰·馬里安（John Mulryan）稱之為“整個倫敦中心地區所存留的最大型的重大改造機會之一”。

該總體規劃由建築師事務所FaulknerBrowns設計，為城市生活和工作提出了一個全新的願景，即多元化、獨特性和可持續發展。它包括140萬平方英尺的工作空間，其中大部分空間價格合理可滿足小企業和創意產業的需求，還設有一個文化場所和一個展覽廳。在為該項目規劃的500套住宅中，有許多是為家庭設計的，其中一半的房屋為可負擔得起的經濟適用房。

該地具有維多利亞時代特色的歷史建築作為鐵路遺產將被保留下來並被賦予新的生命力，包括被列為國家II級保護的850英尺長的Braithwaite高架橋，它將被打造成為一個高層的、高線公園和城市長廊。景觀建築師Spacehub負責改建地塊2.5英畝非凡新穎的公園，使之成為無車的、更為私密的戶外步行空間。與FaulknerBrowns一起參與這個大型項目的建築師事務所還包括Buckley Gray Yeoman、Eric Parry Architects和Chris Dyson Architects。

這塊敏感而重要的地方有著較長的規劃歷史，其開發商在六年前首次申請規劃許可。雖然最初的建議符合2010年通過的臨時規劃指南，但當與社區及主要利益相關方的協商後發現還需重新規劃。因此，建築高度降低了和住房數量減少了，還增加了經濟適用房的比例。 ”我們傾聽了市民的意見，認真對待他們的關心的要點，設計發生了巨大的化。”巴里摩的董事長馬里安先生說。這個傾聽的過程包括諮詢並與2,500多名當地居民和企業接觸。開發商希望在2022年初開始展開對該地區的改造工程，不僅建設新的公園、住宅和工作區，還可能創造超過11,000個工作崗位。 Bishopsgate Goodsyard將再次成為一個生機勃勃充滿活力的地區。

伦敦市长萨迪克·汗（Sadiq Khan）已批准了靠近利物浦街车站的Bishopsgate Goodsyard地区的重建计划，将在首都的中心地带建立一个集生活、工作、文化和休闲于一体的场所。56年前一场大火烧毁了这里，目前该地区的复兴之路已得到确认，项目的总体规划获得市长的支持，该项目承诺将给当地带来独立的商家和初创企业、住宅区，充满活力的社区，丰富的文化以及一个灵感源自曼哈顿高线公园的新公园。

市长的支持对于合资开发商Ballymore和Hammerson来说是一个里程碑，他们合作的经历已有18年之久，彼此的默契促成了这次在前货仓和加油站旧址上的重建项目。该地横跨Hackney和Tower Hamlets，坐落Shoreditch和伦敦老城之间，被巴利摩集团董事长约翰·马里安（John Mulryan）称之为 “整个伦敦中心地区所存留的最大型的重大改造机会之一”。

该总体规划由建筑师事务所FaulknerBrowns设计，为城市生活和工作提出了一个全新的愿景，即多元化、独特性和可持续发展。它包括140万平方英尺的工作空间，其中大部分空间价格合理可满足小企业和创意产业的需求，还设有一个文化场所和一个展览厅。在为该项目规划的500套住宅中，有许多是为家庭设计的，其中一半的房屋为可负担得起的经济适用房。

该地具有维多利亚时代特色的历史建筑作为铁路遗产将被保留下来并被赋予新的生命力，包括被列为国家II级保护的850英尺长的Braithwaite高架桥，它将被打造成为一个高层的、高线公园和城市长廊。景观建筑师Spacehub负责改建地块2.5英亩非凡新颖的公园，使之成为无车的、更为私密的户外步行空间。与FaulknerBrowns一起参与这个大型项目的建筑师事务所还包括Buckley Gray Yeoman、Eric Parry Architects和Chris Dyson Architects。

这块敏感而重要的地方有着较长的规划历史，其开发商在六年前首次申请规划许可。虽然最初的建议符合2010年通过的临时规划指南，但当与社区及主要利益相关方的协商后发现还需重新规划。因此，建筑高度降低了和住房数量减少了，还增加了经济适用房的比例。”我们倾听了市民的意见，认真对待他们的关心的要点，设计发生了巨大的化。”巴里摩的董事长马里安先生说。这个倾听的过程包括咨询并与2,500多名当地居民和企业接触。开发商希望在2022年初开始展开对该地区的改造工程，不仅建设新的公园、住宅和工作区，还可能创造超过11,000个工作岗位。Bishopsgate Goodsyard将再次成为一个生机勃勃充满活力的地区。