WCA News
Whelan Corcoran Smith celebrates 25 Years
Award winning architects Whelan Corcoran Smith recently celebrated 25 years in business and their move to new hi-tech offices in Swords, Co.Dublin.
Addressing some 250 guests, An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern TD, congratulated the practice on their success and on the significant input the firm has had on the architectural make up of North County Dublin and surrounding areas over the years.
Whelan Corcoran Smith are currently embarking on a number of major commercial construction projects with a combined value in excess of €60 million in Swords alone, and projects valued at over €200 million in the Greater Fingal Area.
Abstract from Plan Magazine Nov / Dec '04
Design For Life
Involvement with Friends In Ireland / Portmarnock Community School see Whelan Corcoran Smith invest huge resources in South Africa
Whelan Corcoran Smith provides architectural services for a charitable organisation called Friends in Ireland/Portmarnock Community School, including designs and plans for feeding centres, crèche facilities, clinics and orphan housing in South Africa in a rural area close to the Lesotho border.
The practice became involved in 2006, travelling our with a group of 30 transition
students and 25 trades people. Over a two week period it project managed a now 80sqm Crèche and feeding centre in a small rural village called Mzumganna. It has also designed an orphan village at a town called Lusikisiki, providing six orphan houses, clinics, feeding centre and future phase for a hospice for children. The design of the orphan housing was also utilised for a site in Makoba, and a new design for a feeding centre was also prepared for Franklin, a town near Kwazulu-Natal on the Eastern Cape Province. following many successful years of the Celtic Tiger and realising how the country had become a very successful thriving economy, the directors at Whelan Corcoran Smith felt it was time to create a CSR policy within the practice.
This was the start of its commitment to South Africa, and following its first visit in February 2007, the impact of poverty, starvation, the devastation of HIV/AIDS, and the sheer numbers of orphans, fully convinced the company that it had to provide design, project management and motivational skills to help in whatever way it could.
The impact of this project has been significant in a number of areas – among the staff, the transition students, the parents in Ireland, the communities in many rural villages in Africa and probably the lives of all who have become involved, The project had now provided two feeding centres, orphan housing, clinics and crèche facilities in Kokstad, Mzunganna, Mokoba, Franklin, Flagstaff and Lusikisiki, and touched many people in these communities, Whelan Corcoran Smith has been very lucky to be involved with Friends in Ireland/Portmarnock Community School in its vision to help in Africa.
The Company’s design and project management skills are being fully utilised and are providing assistance as part of a bigger group to help the poorest of the poor in Africa. It’s about realising a vision and seeing designs not just in terms
of a building but providing a vehicle, a place to help people so badly affected by the ravages of HIV/AIDS.
If has also shown the practice’s staff why companies must help communities that are less well off. Whelan Corcoran Smith believes that this project fits perfectly into its original aim four years ago to give a significant amount of time and investment into the area of provision of design services in South Africa.
Abstract from Business & Finance Magazine