Select Image To Visit The Photo Gallery: Reconstruction Project At Constitution Hill Flats

Photographed By William Murphy

Reconstruction Project At Constitution Hill Flats

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13 JANUARY 2026

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I photographed the construction site from the the park at Kings Inns and when I exited the gate onto Constitution Hill there was a bus that had its exit blocked by some construction machinery.

Construction has commenced on the comprehensive regeneration of the Constitution Hill flat complex in Dublin 7. Originally budgeted at €44.5 million in 2023, the project aims to increase the housing density by 40 per cent while retaining the embodied carbon of the existing structures.

Project Status & Timeline Work on Phase 1 began in August 2025 following the appointment of Townlink Construction Ltd. This initial phase includes the deep retrofit and extension of the northern block, alongside the construction of a new apartment block and community space. It is scheduled for completion in Summer 2027.

The Design: Retrofit over Demolition

The complex, consisting of three blocks built in the late 1960s, sits opposite the historic King’s Inns at Broadstone. While often viewed by the public as stark examples of 1960s concrete architecture, the council and design team view them as "heroic volumes" with significant architectural merit.

Rather than demolition, the decision was made to retain the three five-storey blocks but modernise them extensively. The design, led by the renowned Grafton Architects, involves:

Extensions: Adding an additional storey to the top of each existing block.

New Builds: Constructing two new seven-storey apartment blocks and ten two-storey "mews" houses.

Reconfiguration: Reducing the number of units within the old blocks (from 30 to 22 per block) to create significantly larger homes. A standard two-bedroom flat will increase from 50 sq m to 73 sq m, while three-bedroom units will grow to 90 sq m.

Total Housing Delivery Upon completion of all phases, the site will provide a total of 124 homes (up from the original 89).

Energy Efficiency & Standards This project represents Dublin City Council’s first major retrofit scheme aimed at bringing older stock up to mandatory EU energy standards.

Target Rating: All homes will achieve a B2 Building Energy Rating (BER).

Insulation: To preserve the "iconic" brick and concrete exterior character, thermal insulation will be applied internally.

Site Layout & Transport The inner-city site is compact, bordered by the Broadstone bus garage.

New Blocks: These will be located to the north and south of the existing flats. Despite a smaller footprint, they will accommodate 24 apartments each.

Mews Houses: Ten new houses will be situated at the rear of the site, replacing current car parking.

Transport Links: The location offers exceptional connectivity, with the Broadstone Luas stop immediately adjacent and a BusConnects corridor running the length of the site. Two Dublin Bikes stations are within 250 metres, and the city centre is a 10-minute walk away.

Parking: To prioritise housing and sustainable transport, car parking spaces will be reduced from 60 to 23 (including two accessible spaces). Conversely, secure bicycle storage will be increased to 163 spaces.