The Holiday Inn Dublin Airport

PROJECT NAME

The Holiday Inn Hotel

CLIENT

Carra Shore Hotel

CUSTOMER

Keegan Precast

LOCATION

Dublin, Ireland

DATE

2018

BUSINESS AREA

Hospitality

The Holiday Inn Express Dublin Airport is a modern, high-quality hotel designed to offer efficiency, comfort, and durability—key principles in both hospitality and construction. Situated near Dublin Airport, it caters to business and leisure travelers, providing contemporary accommodations with amenities such as complimentary Wi-Fi, business facilities, and a fitness center.

The hotel’s structural framework incorporates precast concrete, ensuring rapid construction, enhanced durability, and energy efficiency—essential for a high-traffic hospitality environment. Its modern façade and well-planned internal layout reflect precision engineering and smart design solutions. Strategically positioned near key Dublin landmarks like the National Botanic Gardens and Croke Park, the development seamlessly integrates functionality, sustainability, and guest comfort.”

“Ten-Storey Precast Concrete Hotel Structure
This ten-storey hotel is designed with a precast concrete cross-wall system, ensuring both structural stability and efficient load distribution. The precast concrete shear walls provide essential lateral stability, forming a braced structural system that enhances the building’s overall performance.

The main structure consists of precast twin walls, both internal and external, combined with filigree slab units and precast concrete stairs. Where additional support is required, in-situ concrete beams and columns—designed separately—complement the precast system. The flooring system is constructed using filigree slab units with structural screed topping, providing a durable and stable platform. The building’s façade features fibre cement composite panels, designed and detailed externally. An expansion joint is strategically placed between grid lines A-D / 11-12 to accommodate movement.

Load Transfer Mechanisms
Vertical Load Transfer:
Floor loads are distributed through precast filigree slabs, which span between precast concrete walls and in-situ concrete beams. The main beams are supported by in-situ concrete columns, primarily at ground floor level.

Horizontal Load Transfer:
The structure is designed to resist wind loads and notional horizontal forces, ensuring long-term stability.

Temporary Erection Stage – During construction, horizontal loads are managed through precast walls, floors, beams, and columns, with temporary propping in place until final connections are secured.
Permanent Condition – Once completed, horizontal forces are transferred through the screeded filigree slab deck, acting as a diaphragm, directing loads to precast shear walls, which provide the necessary restoring moment to maintain structural equilibrium.
This precast concrete solution enhances construction efficiency, precision, and durability, reducing on-site labor while ensuring a robust and reliable structure for long-term operation.