PUNCH Conservation

Boyle Abbey, RoscommonDromoland Castle, ClareLeinster House Siopa, DublinSt John's Cathedral, LimerickTudenham Park, Co WestmeathMurphy's Brewery

PUNCH Conservation stands on the threshold between the past and the future.  The energies of holy men and women and not so holy men and women, families, artists, architects, carpenters, masons, quarrymen, plasterers, gardeners and so called ordinary people are encapsulated in the spirit and style of our protected structures.  The PUNCH Conservation team comprises Kevin Clancy, Kevin Mullery, Ger Neville and Ger Madigan, providing a specialist service involving the refurbishment of protected structures or buildings in conservation areas, which require a sympathetic approach to changes in structure.

Our Conservation Experience

PUNCH has been doing the work of conservation engineering since the practice was founded in 1973, before the description “conservation engineer” was ever in use. In those times when we were called to look at what we now refer to as a protected structure, our natural response was to understand:

  • The client concerns
  • The architect concerns
  • The structure and the condition of the structure
  • The structural design and how it originally worked
  • The materials used - typically stone, bricks, lime mortar and timber, with the possibility of some iron
  • To take the time to understand the vision of the original owners, designers, masons and carpenters so that the engineering response could be made in a context of deep understanding and respect.

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How PUNCH Conservation works within the industry

PUNCH has reviewed what changes have occurred within the industry that has recently pushed conservation high on the national agenda.  The answers included the fact that as a country, our past has caught up with us.  There is an awakening of our people to the appreciation of our built heritage.  A fundamental cultural and social need to maintain our connection with our built past has also emerged, the recognition of which is now enshrined in national and international legislation.  As a consequence, the role and part to be played by the engineering profession in this area has emerged as a distinct specialist contribution and service.

PUNCH Conservation is a response to this need, founded on our existing specialist skills, our profoundly experienced conservation team and network of resources – and our commitment, as a national company, to making a difference for our clients and other contributors – architects, archaeologists, garden historians, interior designers, artists, trades people, social historians, educators and all involved in this important area of endeavour.

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Our multi-disciplinary services

PUNCH Conservation takes its responsibility towards health and safety seriously, particularly in the context of working in existing buildings and establishing the capacity of the existing structure to new loading conditions, as well as our assessment of temporary loading conditions during any structural alterations.  In any project, it is our design choices that inform what risks must be endured by the contractor and the end users.  So we possess this crucial ability to influence safety early on in the design process.  Through PUNCH Health & Safety, we have acted as PSDP on a wide range of projects including conservation projects and our experience and multi-disciplinary skills provide innovative, efficient and safe design through all of our work.

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