St Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh underwent an extensive restoration in 2002/2003. The then Archbishop, now Cardinal, Dr Sean Brady appointed Gregory Architects and Rooney and McConville Architects to oversee the project. A main element of this £6 million 17 month refit, which was part-funded by the Heritage Lottery, entailed the redesigning of the sanctuary including the complete manufacture and fitment of a new floor by Armatile to the exacting specifications of the liturgal architect.

From the complex curved radius trellis patterns, through the stunning use of engraved polished porcelain on the altar, to the replication of original mosaic flooring in the bapistry and synod bathrooms, the complexity, scale and detailed finish requested by the architectural brief of this project required Armatile to utilize the full range of skills of our technical manufacturing and fitting teams. Only then could we ensure a perfect manufactured and fitted finish as per specification. It was even possible to incorporate a modern take by the architect with a new mosaic/waterjet cut section inspired by an original drawing which had not been incorporated into the original build, bringing to life a design that lay dormant for over a hundred years.