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Meet an Architect – Help the Homeless

April 29, 2020 / barros / 0 Comments

RIAI Simon Open Door is a partnership between the Simon Communities of Ireland and the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI).

The Simon Communities of Ireland work with people who experience homelessness and housing exclusion in Ireland.

We are delighted to announce our participation in this important campaign for the 10th year in a row.

The RIAI Simon Open Door initiative has been a permanent fixture in the calendar of the RIAI and it has been decided to maintain that as the Simon Communities are now dealing with the severe implications of COVID-19 to their services across the country.

COVID-19 poses very serious challenges to people who are homeless or living in homeless services, and Simon Communities need your support to ensure they provide the strongest possible service during this crisis.

The RIAI and the Simon Communities feel it is important that we continue the campaign, but in an online format in 2020.

Anyone hoping to build, renovate or extend their home/office/shop may be interested in this initiative. Isabel Barros Architects in Wexford will offer an hour long consultation in return for a donation of €95 to charity. This generous donation of time and expertise will help fund Simon’s work assisting people to move on from the crisis of homelessness, to independent living in quality accommodation. All of the money raised goes towards the work of the Simon Communities of Ireland

You can sign up for an appointment with Isabel Barros Architects between Tuesday 5 May 2020 and Friday 15 May 2020, just log in at www.simonopendoor.ie.

Read Testimonials about the Simon Open Door.

Time to Design and Plan

April 20, 2020 / barros / 0 Comments

This post is written as we experience the Great Lockdown – this is nothing ever experienced in the history of humanity as we try to stop the already 155,000 deaths worldwide caused by this new virus and disease.

Our kids have been out of school and locked at home for 5 weeks. We have been forced to work from home for the last 3 weeks. We have seen the full spectrum of emotions everywhere and anywhere. Life goes on slowly as we adapt to this new way of living.

The uncertainty is big and it is surrounded by many questions that do not have answers. Uncertainty is a difficult thing to bear. But let’s focus on things that are certain:

New treatments and potentially a vaccine for Covid-19 are quickly developing.
This storm will pass – we will get through this.

This is the time to PLAN.

It is in moments like these that the best ideas are born. We are working hard in all our projects that are not yet on site.

A big part of any construction project is spent in designing and planning for construction. The graphic below shows how designing and planning can easily take more than 50% of the overall time in a typical construction project.

Typical construction project life cycle IS: 15883
(Source: ‘A Handbook for Construction Project Planning and Scheduling’ by Virendra Kumar Paul, Chaitali Basu)

If you consider the time that it takes to actually start construction work on site, you may realise that the decision to start the project should not be postponed. Most Architect’s offices have their staff working from home and are available to assist and connect with you through a variety of different platforms.

This is the time to PLAN! Let’s get the ball rolling.

Get in touch with us by email at office@isabelbarrosarchitects.ie or phone 053 916 8942.

Isabel’s Picks for Spring 2020

March 20, 2020 / barros / 0 Comments

CHALLENGING TIMES AHEAD

Stay safe, stay at home

1. OFFICE WORKSTATION

Brand: Fantoni

Collection: Hug

Price range: n/a

Features: The Hug lounge collection expands with a system of sofas and modular pods, available in a variety of configurations to provide small, cosy spaces that are discreet and soundproof, in which to work, chat, communicate or relax. The sofas are fitted with USB ports, and the accessorizable tops with multi-sockets. The screens are sound absorbing.

Available to Ireland from: Fantoni UK

2. WALL HOOKS

Brand: Schönbuch

Designer: Studio Taschide

Name: Cut

Price range: from €43

Material: Solid wood

Available to Ireland from: Schönbuch

3. BASIN TAP

Brand: Hansgrohe

Series: PuraVida

Name: PuraVida Single lever basin mixer 110

Price range: from €313

Key features: Laminar spray. Swiveling spray former. Flow rate at 3 bar: 5 l/min. Joystick ceramic cartridge. Suitable for continuous flow water heaters. Available in Chrome/White.

Material: Surfaces – Chrome.

Available in Ireland from: Tubs & Tiles

4. PLANT BOX

Brand: Ferm Living

Name: Plant Box

Price range: €199

Material: Powder coated metal.

Key features: Suitable for outdoor use. The Plant Box can be used for decoration all over the house, as temporary storage in the hallway or as a divider to create cosy corners in larger rooms. They are suitable for flowers, plants, books, toys and magazines – or maybe a little of each.

Available to Ireland from: Ferm Living

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See More Picks

See Full Gallery of Isabel’s Picks

Context note – The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on the 11th of March 2020.

COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.

Recommended measures to prevent infection include frequent hand washing, maintaining distance from others (social distancing), and keeping hands away from the face.