Construction BUSINESS

The Guinness Storehouse, Ireland’s number one visitor attraction, has officially opened the highly anticipated new Gravity Bar. Developed over three years, with over 175,000 man hours and almost €20 million investment, Gravity Bar has now more than doubled in size, offering visitors extended panoramic views which now include historic Phoenix Park and new vistas over Dublin Mountains. The footprint of Gravity Bar is now constructed as a figure of eight, designed to give visitors maximum views across Dublin’s city skyline. The new bar is 721 square metres and will be able to host up to 500 people at a time.

Since its opening in 2000, Gravity Bar, which stands at 46 metres high, has become one of the world’s most iconic viewing decks, hosting high profile guests from across the globe. Fifty panes of glass were used to create the panoramic view over the Dublin cityscape that has become the jewel in the crown of the Home of Guinness.

The architects behind Gravity Bar’s new innovative design, RKD, also led the initial development of the Guinness Storehouse twenty years ago, transforming it from a derelict grain store into a seven-storey storytelling showcase, and Ireland’s number one tourist attraction. O’Donnell O’Neill Design were the interior designers tasked with creating the contemporary interior.

Dublin-based street artist Aches was commissioned to create bespoke art installation that features on four walls throughout the bar. These unique, eye-catching artworks demonstrate the evolving creativity of the city of Dublin and the story of Guinness through the ages. With 1.7 million people through the doors of the Guinness Storehouse every year, this will make Aches’ original works one of the most viewed artworks in the country.

Speaking about the launch of the newly developed bar, Paul Carty, Managing Director of the Guinness Storehouse, said: “We have been so proud to see our visitor numbers grow each year, and what better way to celebrate our twentieth year than with the launch of our stunning new Gravity Bar. This demonstrates our commitment to the future of tourism here in Ireland and our dedication to giving our guests the best possible visit when they come to the Home of Guinness. We look forward to welcoming guests to enjoy what we believe is the very best view of Dublin.”

Speaking at the launch, Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland, said: “Tourism is a vital industry to the Irish economy, generating revenue of €7.5 billion annually and supporting 260,000 jobs nationwide. The tourism offering across Ireland is of a world class standard, with visitors’ expectations being consistently surpassed. With over 1.7 million visitors coming to the Guinness Storehouse last year, it is the most visited attraction in Ireland and is synonymous with the draw of Dublin and Ireland for so many people.”

“For centuries, the Guinness site has been part of the fabric of this city, providing employment for local communities and constantly innovating in order to ensure that Guinness contributes to both Dublin and Ireland. The launch of the new Gravity Bar is yet another example of this, and further demonstrates the commitment of the Guinness Storehouse to offer a world-class experience to every person that walks through those world-renowned gates.”

The Guinness Storehouse has retained its position as Ireland’s number one international visitor attraction and welcomed 1.7 million visitors last year. Located at the heart of St James’s Gate Brewery, the Guinness Storehouse tells the story of one of Ireland’s most iconic brands, Guinness. The journey begins at the bottom of the world’s largest pint glass and continues up through seven floors, including the highlight for many visitors – the famous Gravity Bar. Visitors from Ireland and abroad discover what goes into making each and every pint, learn about the incredible brand history stretching over 250 years, its iconic advertising, and experience a Guinness tasting like no other.

FACTS ABOUT THE GRAVITY BAR

• It took 175,000 man hours to build the new Gravity bar
• 16 months were spent building the new panoramic bar
• 600 people worked on the project, including architects, engineers, builders and tradesmen
• Gravity Bar is as tall as 300 pints of Guinness
• 50 panes of glass were used in creating the 360% view
• 230 square meters of glass were hoisted up to the viewing deck
• Gravity Bar stands at a height of 46 meters off the ground.