At the age of 31, David Madden may be in the relative infancy of his professional career but there is nothing premature about his appearance on the short-list of those vying to be named Project Manager of the Year at the 2022 Irish Construction Industry Awards.
Already a senior member of the team at Dublin-based construction consultants DMC Global Partners, the Civil and Environmental Engineering graduate has amassed a breadth of experience far beyond his years since joining his employers in November 2020.
Indeed, as the senior project manager responsible for the delivery of a 270-plus bed hotel on Arran Street it could be argued David’s subject matter expertise has been tested by centuries-old problems.
Located within the Dublin City Zone of Archaeological Potential, the site selected by investors for the destination dwelling was found to previously have been home to some of the grounds surrounding St Mary’s Abbey.
Exploratory surveys revealed significant structural remains of the 11th Century place of worship and identified around 600 medieval burial sites, including rare and early stone-lined cist graves of key ecclesiastical figures.
The historic haul demanded a major redesign of the hotel’s foundation layout to enable both partial excavation and the implementation of a preservation in situ strategy, during which David drew heavily on his past knowledge of chartered engineering.
His contribution was telling and resulted in an anticipated six-to-eight-month project extension being limited to just 60 days and, in turn, stopped costs from spiralling.
David’s ongoing work on the hotel, which is due and on-track for completion in May 2024, is complemented by an extensive portfolio that has delivered projects worth in excess of €170 million over the last 12 months.
Other standout developments include the design and build of a new 120-bed nursing home in Duleek, which was delivered under budget despite the considerable constraints of Covid and a significant shift in economic conditions, and the redevelopment of a Church of Ireland rectory to create housing stock – and extend the pastoral reach of the Holy Trinity Church – in Rathmines.
On being named among the finalists for the Irish Construction Industry Awards’ Project Manager of the Year prize, David said: “I was a bit taken aback when I heard that I’d been nominated but am honoured and incredibly proud to be in the running.
“Having your efforts recognised is always welcome and it is great to know that DMC Global Partners values my contribution to a team doing wonderful things.”
