The Junction Dungannon

Green field and trees with blue sky, modern brick building in the distance — © Marvyn Black

Case Study

Set in green acres of Dungannon’s rural Railway Park is The Junction Dungannon, an acclaimed Northern Irish Community Peace Building. The new build is a facility hosting a number of key community services, all housed within the modernist, sculptural design built with Wienerberger's Bronsgroen and Staffordshire Smooth Blue bricks.

Hall Black Douglas were appointed by STEP (South Tyrone Empowerment Programme) to design a Community Peace Building in Dungannon, Northern Ireland. The new facility provides a shared space on a community interface area for the provision of several key community services. The building is a result of a successful funding application partnership with Dungannon & South Tyrone Borough Council to SEUPB under the PEACE III Programme for funding.

The Junction houses several anchor tenants including STEP (supporting community development), Inspire (supporting Mental Wellbeing), Willowbank (supporting adults with a physical disability/sensory impairment). It also includes a community meeting place and space for social enterprises including a café and crèche.

The building is located within Railway Park, part of a linear greenway and sits along the edge of the park adjacent to a Tesco superstore and car park. The location was chosen to maximise the views past the building to the parkland beyond, create sheltered spaces and to enhance the pedestrian routes through the park.

Green lawn and trees with modern angular building in the distance

Exterior view of modern new build brick building

The Junction modern brick building at night

Internal view of exposed brick wall in the Junction building

The design concept is that of a piece of three-dimensional sculpture set within the park. The aspiration is not to have a front or back, but to relate to the aspects of the site context in which it sits and provide interest and equality of access when approached from all directions. The plan has been ‘kinked’ at the entrance points to respond to the site. The design and location of entrances has been chosen to be visible from all directions of approach and to maximise accessibility.

The roof form has been designed to have a sculptural quality which changes dependent on the view point and reflects the diversity of the various uses and users under one roof. The pitched roof forms are reminiscent of houses or relating to the previous railway use of the site.

Architects, Hall Black Douglas, envisaged a structure that would give the impression of open access from every angle, and as part of this, a key consideration was the choice of brick to achieve this. Sample panels were constructed on site to show a variety of mortar joints and laying patterns

Tall multi storey building with large windows and blue sky — © Marvyn Black

"The design concept is that of a piece of three-dimensional sculpture set within the park.

The aspiration is not to have a front or back, but to relate to the aspects of the site context in which it sits and provide interest and equality of access when approached from all directions."

This is a predominately brick building featuring Wienerberger Bronsgroen balanced with the Staffordshire Smooth Blue brick. The ground floor glazing, providing a welcoming insight into the activities within, is punctuated using Staffordshire Smooth Blue brick panels, laid vertically stack bond with randomly stepped coursing to evoke the parkland tree form and root the building in the landscape.

The upper floors step out providing shading and shelter to the open ground floor. The upper levels are clad with Bronsgroen, using large punched openings to provide natural light, ventilation and views for the spaces within. The Bronsgroen brick was chosen for its variation and soft colours creating a light floating canopy above the ground floor plinth.

The unique variety of shape, colour and orientation of laying permitted by the Bronsgroen allowed a restrained level of brick detailing, this also helped eliminated brick wastage on site. Sample panels were constructed on site to show a variety of mortar joints and laying patterns before deciding on Bronsgroen, half lap stretcher bond with a bushed sand cement mortar joint.

The building envelope is constructed using Structural Insulated Panels on a Steel frame. This allowed the building to be made weather tight prior to completion of the brick façade. Brick slip lintels were formed offsite using IG Lintels system and a hit and miss detail was used at high level to conceal a plant room louvre. The main stair feature wall within the building uses the Bronsgroen brick to provide a tactile connection to with the external materiality.