A Special Factory ' - Braun in Carlow - Design and Construction Phase One - Woman in the Machine
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Braun in Carlow -
Design and
Construction
Phase One
‘A Special Factory ‘
Drawings & Archival research by: Finbarr Deurden Rosie Feeney Clara Quinn Audrey Murphy Shona Quigley and Emma Geoghegan Acknowledgements Dermot O’Brien, Old Carlow Photos Braun AG Archives Industrial Development Authority Carlow County Council Planning
A special factory
for the IDA at
Carlow
Source: Braun AG Archives
The former Braun building occupies a 30 acre site on the north eastern edge of Carlow town. A
colossal building with over 20,000sqm of floor area, it has loomed large as a physical presence, and
for four decades has marked an arrival and departure point into the town.
Braun (Gillette) AG arrived in Carlow in 1974, as part of the Industrial Development Authority’s
investment strategy in regional towns and aligned with the earlier development of Carlow Regional
Technical College (now IT Carlow). At its peak it employed over 1400 people, mostly women,
manufacturing small personal appliances and then later Oral B toothbrushes. The factory closed in
2010 and was a significant loss to the town, economically, culturally and socially.
The site had a significant impact on the urban development of Carlow, influencing the expansion
eastwards of the town. The site was part of a substantial estate developed by the IDA as shown on the
drawing above. Whilst the Lapple building on the eastern plot was designed by Robinson Keefe and
Devane (RKD) Architects, the Braun building was designed by the IDA’s own inhouse design team with
input from Braun‘s professional team in Frankfurt on the operational and organisational strategies.
It originally comprised two simple volumes, the large factory building and an entrance pavilion to the
east. The design of these buildings followed a modernist style with a repeating bay pattern of ribbed
150mm precast concrete panels and full height bronze anodised windows on a precast concrete
structure. It was constructed by SISK and works began in 1974. Due to a significant increase in staff
numbers the carpark was extended and vehicular layout modified in 1979.
Context Plan
IDA Planning
Application 1973
Plans for Lapple Building, RKD Architects, The Nationalist & Leinster Times, date
Carlow County Council Planning Archives unknown
Braun Betriebs-
spiegel
article 1974
Translation
1. Braun’s new production facility in Ireland, which is being built on a 124
square meter site in Carlow, around 85 km south-west of Dublin, already
exists in the model. In more than 80 hours of work, Walter Wlober, Os-
EI, assembled the more than 8,500 Lego bricks into a true-to-scale
model. The main hall, without the administration building, will have the
respectable size of 117 m long and 90 m wide with a height of 6 m.
The individual phases of the work process can be clearly seen in the
picture. Goods receipt and spare parts warehouse on the right, production
in the middle, finished goods warehouse and dispatch on the left. The
annex on the far left shows the administration building.
Bern Untermann, who is responsible for organization and personnel
issues of the Irish project, keeps the model like the ‘apple of his eye’ so
that nobody misuses the Lego bricks. To play with, a model like the apple
of his eye. The legos will only released for his sons to play with when the
building is finished. However, this will take a little longer than the model
building! Completion is scheduled for the end of 1974.
Braun Betriebs-
spiegel
article 1974
2. When considering the Ireland project, the purchase of Kilkea Castle
was initially up for discussion. On closer inspection, however, it turns
out that the flow of material is not optimally guaranteed here. So the
decision was made in favor of Carlow, a little further south, in which
Braun is building a production hall of around 12,000 square meters with
a prefabricated office wing.
3. Construction, which began in February 1974, is expected to be
completed by November of this year. This rapid processing is possible
through the use of prefabricated components for the frame construction
and the facades. In addition, the beautiful weather in Ireland favours the
construction work extremely.
Source: Braun AG Archives, Deutschland 2021
IDA Planning
Application 1973
Braun Plans and Elevations,
Carlow County Council Planning Archives
IDA Planning
Application 1973
Braun Detailed Sections,
Carlow County Council Planning ArchivesStatus Report
Project Ireland
May 1974
Copy of May 1974 Status Report Braun (Gillette AG )
Source:Dermot O’BrienStatus Report
Project Ireland
May 1974
Construction Photos
Copy of May 1974 Status Report Braun (Gillette AG)
Source:Dermot O’BrienProposed Bypass
route through IDA
estate
Carlow County Council Planning Archives1979 Carpark
Expansion
Carlow County Council Planning Archives
Carlow County Council Planning ArchivesBraun as a
Workplace
1974 -1985
Photo Credits: Susan Reid / Old Carlow PhotosBraun as a
Workplace
1974 - 1985
Photo Credits: Susan Reid / Old Carlow PhotosYou can also read
