Kevin Street Garda Station is the divisional headquarters for An Garda Siochana. It is located near the heart of Dublin in the south inner city. It was designed by the Office of Public Works (OPW) as a building responding to the specific context of the surrounding area. This site replaced the former station, known as St. Sepulchre’s Palace. It is a large historical site being the former Archbishop of Dublin’s residence. Because of its historical significance as well as the exceptional demands of a Garda station, the variety of challenges presented made this a unique project for Fleetwood Paints.
A multi-layered approach
Because of the complexities of decorating a working Garda station in a historically important building, both aesthetics and practicalities had to be considered. This project’s plan also included various types of different high specification coatings for exteriors and interiors. The brief included the directions that the coatings needed to be low maintenance and tough enough to cope with some unusual situations that would not be normally part of a brief for other buildings. These coatings were applied by our specialist staff, following advice from our suppliers on the most optimal application. These coatings included various anti-graffiti and anti-microbial coatings to retain the health and cleanliness of the walls while also including anti-carbonation paint and carbon steel protection coatings for structural retention.
High-traffic spaces
When it comes to painting a hard-working, high-traffic internal environment, choosing the right paint is essential. Fleetwood Trade Paints have proven time and again that they are the best-in-class solution for such demanding environments. Their commitment to quality, durability, and sustainability, combined with their exclusive partnership with RD Coatings, sets them apart from the competition. The fact that we were able to deliver interior and exterior paint and coating solutions that matched the expectations of the Garda, as well as being sympathetic to the heritage of this unique building, made us the ideal partners for this project. From the start, we consulted with the Garda, finding out what they needed and the visual impression they wanted to create. While functional, they didn’t want the interior to be too ‘stark’.
So a modern colour palette that also dovetailed into the existing Garda tones used across Ireland was created. Tough, durable coatings that were antibacterial where needed, and with easily washable surfaces that were resistant to chemical and abrasion attacks were essential, both inside and out. While complex, this partnership resulted in a Garda station that maintained the character of the original building, but delivered on all levels when it came to functionality.
This is an ongoing project, with Fleetwood providing maintenance and additional advice with on-site specification services and a team of highly trained experts. Fleetwood ensures these facilities receive the optimal paint solutions for their specific needs. By selecting Fleetwood Trade Paints, facility managers can achieve long-lasting, visually appealing finishes that can withstand the challenges of their rigorous operations.