The Irish Times

The new security pavilion outside the Dáil has a calm presence, deftness of touch and displays confidence. The simplest objects can mask the complexities in their making. This is the case with a building which is so transparent that passers' by may not even notice it at first, despite its prominent position. The new security pavilion outside the Dáil in Kildare Street, Dublin 2, is a glass box tucked in behind the traditional railings, whose roof line barely peeks above the iron uprights. The complexities came in both the design and the bureaucracy involved. "It took a lot of persuasion and consultation to get this building here," says monitoring architect Angela Rolfe, "because a fine 18th century building demands an excellent contemporary building in its grounds to enhance the space rather than detract from it."