In Search of Hy-Brasil

Peter Carroll, Peter Cody, Elizabeth Hatz, Mary Laheen and Joseph Mackey

Launch: Culture Night, Friday 20 September, 6pm – till 8pm

All are welcome, no booking required

Exhibition open daily from Saturday 21 Sep - 06 Oct  

Tuesday–Saturday 11am– 6pm / Sunday -  Monday 12 noon–5pm

Location: Festival Printworks Gallery, Market St.

Curated by a team of five architects: Peter Carroll, Peter Cody, Elizabeth Hatz, Mary Laheen and Joseph Mackey; Ireland’s national pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2023, In Search of Hy-Brasil, derives from an intense engagement with the islands of Ireland and is a direct provocation to all of us to reimagine the vast combined territory of land and ocean we call our home.

We are an island nation facing an uncertain future. The challenges of climate change, renewable energy, ethical food production and biodiversity must be met quickly, with purpose, renewing the lost equilibrium between ourselves and the natural world. In making this adjustment, our islands’ inventiveness in the face of adversity and creativity in response to having less provides us with the necessary tools and narratives to inspire more sustainable ways of living.

In bringing the installation to Solstice, the curators hope to share their project with an Irish audience, and through a related supporting programme of events, initiate a series of conversations around a shared vision for a more sustainable future.

A supporting programme of cultural events,  Island Celebrations, takes place around the content of the installation. The programme takes the form of supporting exhibitions, film screenings, related talks, tours and symposia.

Corresponding events will be found via our Instagram over the coming weeks, including Island conversations on Saturday 21st September: 2.30-4.00pm and on Sunday 22nd Spetember 2.30-4.00pm. Follow @ArchAtTheEdge for updates!

Faith in the Future - Exhibition

Exhibition

Date: Friday 27/09 - Monday 30/09 and Friday 04/10 - Sunday 06/10

Opening Hours: 12pm - 5pm

A close look at revitalising church buildings and their curtilage; an exhibition of architectural drawings and models along with crios-weaving workshops St. John's Church, Ballinasloe, and a felting workshop and talk at the Mick Lally theatre.

An exhibition at St. John's Church during the Ballinasloe Horse Fair exploring the adaptive reuse of two historic sites in East Galway, St. John's and Holy Trinity Church, Aughrim, through craft and the use of sustainable timber structures. The exhibition features architectural drawings and scale models created by young architects collaborating between Ireland and Belgium, building on their engagement with these places and their communities during last year’s festival. In addition, there will be three hands-on crios-weaving workshops, offering participants the chance to engage directly with traditional crafts while reflecting on the themes of heritage and community.

At the Mick Lally Theatre, there will be a felting workshop, followed by a talk presenting the work of the Faith in the Future project so far.

Event Organiser

Faith in the Future is led by Beibhinn Delaney, in collaboration with Marie-Caroline Kawa, Lara Clifford & Caoimhe Walsh. Support comes from the Arts Council, Donegal Yarns & Ballinasloe Credit Union.

.WAY

Brock Finucane

Exhibition, Research, Design

Launch date: Sep 27th, 15.00 - 21.00

Exhibition running from Friday 27th September - Sunday 6th October 2024

Opening hours: Tuesday–Saturday 10am–5.30pm
Sunday 12 noon–5pm, Closed Mondays

 Location: Outset Gallery, Unit 15, The Cornstore, Galway City

.Way is a body of research and examinations of potential futures for Mulranny proposed by a team of Architects, Landscape Architects, Artist and Educators.

Mulranny is a coastal community on the periphery.  It is a town shaped geographically and culturally by movement. Overlooking the archipelago of drowned drumlin islands nestled in Clew Bay, it sits on a landscape formed on the margin of glacial systems and is shadowed by the vast Nephin mountain range.  The town sits at the intersection of rural and wild. It once punctuated the landscape as Victorian tourist destination but is now a threshold town to the Corraun Peninsula, Mullet Peninsula and Achill Island.  Subject to relentless weather fronts from the Atlantic, it is now enduring the increasing impacts of climate change.

Initially commissioned as a project to examine a spatial plan for Mulranny, the body of work has, and is extending to, research, test, and proposal – asking how we find our way through and situate ourselves in a moving landscape shaped and scarred by both the static and dynamic – infrastructure, settlement, climate, way.

Event Organiser

Brock Finucane is led by Nicci Brock and Ruairi Finucane.  The practice is engaged in research, design and education. .Way collaborators are Lucas Dobbin, Sarah Fox, Rodhlann Mossop, James Mooney, Alex Pollock.

Shane de Blacam Lecture

In partnership Arts in Action at the University of Galway

Date: Friday 27th September, 2024

Full line up for ther evening;

4:00pm Public reception, presentation.

4:30pm Introduction, Marko Milovanovic

5:00 p.m Lecture Shane de Blacam.

Break

7:00 p.m Lecture by Cian Deegan and Alice Casey, TAKA Architects

7:30 pm - Round table discussion will follow with moderator Marko Milovanovic.

Location: O'Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance

Shane De Blacam formed the architectural practice de Blacam and Meagher with John Meagher in 1976. De Blacam’s buildings are characterised by their simplicity and their celebration of local materials. Throughout his career, he has been concerned with creating spaces for people to come together, including the sensitively restored Abbeyleix Library in Laois and the elegant Samuel Beckett Theatre at Trinity College, Dublin. Before forming his practice with Meagher, de Blacam worked in London with the architects of the Barbican Centre, Chamberlain, Powell and Bon. He then travelled to America where he worked with Louis I. Khan for two years on the Mellon Centre for British Art and British Studies, Yale University, New Haven Connecticut.

Shane de Blacam was awarded the 2023 RA Architecture Prize.  He will deliver a lecture with slides originally delivered at the Royal Academy London October 2023.

To complete the line-up of the evening, architects Cian Deegan and Alice Casey from Taka Architects will be in Galway to present their work and join with our moderator Marko Milovanovic, for discussion.

Admission is free upon reservation.

In partnership Arts in Action at the University of Galway.

Supported by Arts Council of Ireland. 

Shane De Blacam was born Dublin 14th October 1945. B.Arch. (NUI) 1968, M. Arch. (PENN) 1970, MRIAI 1972, RIBA 1976, FRIAI 1986, HLFRSAI 1994. Grade 1 Conservation Architect 2003. Undergraduate School of Architecture University College Dublin 1963-68 Post graduate School of Architecture University of Pennsylvania USA 1969-70. Worked in London with Chamberlain, Powell and Bon, and Philadelphia with Louis I. Khan where Shane worked for two years on the Mellon Centre for British Art and British Studies Yale University New Haven Connecticut. 1972 returned to Ireland as first year master at the School of Architecture, University College Dublin. Commenced practice de Blacam and Meagher 1976. Shane worked in architectural partnership with John Meagher in Dublin for 45 years until John died, early 2021. They shared a friendship and close exchange of criticism and drawings and shared design responsibility for the work of de Blacam and Meagher, sometimes with others in the practice. Gold Medal and five silver medals for architecture and conservation including the Gandon Medal of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, Europa Nostra Silver medal, member of AOSDANA an institution to honour achievement in art of the Government of Ireland, and the Royal Academy London Architecture Prize 2023.

TAKA

Alice Casey studied architecture in TU Dublin (DIT) graduating in 2003. after spending time gaining professional experience in London and Dublin, Alice co-founded TAKA in Dublin in 2007. Alice has taught architecture in UCD, Queen’s University Belfast, and TU Dublin – where she currently teaches in the masters in architecture and professional diploma in architectural practice courses. Alice holds a PhD by practice from RMIT, is an RIAI architect accredited in conservation at grade 3, and is registered with the architect’s registration board in the UK. Alice examines candidates for membership of the RIAI and has been a member of the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland since 2007. Cian Deegan studied architecture in TU Dublin (DIT) graduating in 2003. after spending time gaining professional experience in London (with Niall McLaughlin architects) and Dublin (with O’Donnell & Tuomey), Cian co-founded TAKA in Dublin in 2007. Cian has taught architecture in UCD, Queen’s University Belfast, and TU Dublin, where he is currently a lecturer. Cian holds a PhD by practice from RMIT and has been a member of the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland since 2007.

Marko Milovanovic has been selected as our Shane de Blacam Resident.

Marko is an architect, artist, journalist and founder of @freeschoolof and @mylomark. The educational platform Free School Of celebrates dialogue as a fundamental form of knowledge. Marko has interviewed artists, architects, curators, and scholars and written extensively on culture, politics and urban regeneration. He teaches at the Architectural Association School of Architecture, Royal College of Art, and Oxford Brookes University.  

The Shane de Blacam Residency has been created in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Arts, London.  The project that will be showcased is "Temptation of Influence" by British architect, artist, and journalist Marko Milovanovic. It consists of a selection of video and audio recorded interviews, photographs, video documentation, and a visual and written essay on Influence within the Field of Architecture.  This multimedia project is a collection of video and audio artefacts documenting the architectural legacy and philosophy of architect Shane de Blacam. This conversational piece examines influence across generations and cultures, focusing on de Blacam’s work and his connections to his predecessors, such as Andrea Palladio and his mentor Louis Kahn, as well as his students, who are now prominent Irish and British architects.

Constructed Landscape of Inis Oírr

Noreile Breen

Exhibition

Date: Saturday, 28 September 2024
Time: 11am - 6pm
Location: Foyer, the Mick Lally Theatre, Druid ln. Galway

A photographic study of the 'humanised' constructed landscape of Inis OÍrr.

The stone walls of Inis Oírr fuse and interact with the islands ground condition. Architecture is ultimately spatial and space is made between this given ground condition and the constructed walls enclosure. This photographic study focuses on this three dimensional sectional connection, relationship and interaction.

Noreile Breen studied architecture at the Dublin School of Architecture, DIT. She worked with Atelier Bow-Wow in Japan and Steve Larkin Architects before establishing her own practice which is based between Dublin and Kerry. Noreile has taught architecture at KTH Stockholm, Bergen School of Architecture, Parsons School of Design New York, Queens University Belfast and the School of Architecture University Limerick where she is currently a lecturer. Noreile is the recipient of a number of awards, a registered architect with the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland and a Grade 3 Architect Accredited in Conservation.

In November 2022, she undertook a 7 month residency on Inis Oírr, the Aran Islands; 1450 acres of a ‘Humanised Landscape’ composed of limestone formations and walled sheltered constructed fields without trees. Inis Oírr is the third landscape in context of a larger body of work; A study of landscape types of the island of Ireland which started at Bothár Buí’s Cleanderry Wood; A Natural Habitat and continues at Tullynally Demense; 1500 acres of a Cultivated Landscape.

Noreile will deliver an Artist Talk on Saturday 05th October at 2.00 pm in the Theatre.

Lough Corrib 471

Helena McElmeel Architects

Launch: Wednesday 2nd October, 7pm – late.

All are welcome, no booking required

Exhibition running from Wednesday 2nd October until Monday 7th October

Location: Kilbeg Pier, Knockferry Pier on Lough Corrib

Interactive installations on Kilbeg and Knockferry piers codesigned with students from local primary schools on both sides of the lake connecting both communities to the water, built heritage and piers of Lough Corrib.

471m of water separates the communities to east and west of Lough Corrib - it takes 5 minutes by boat or 50 minutes by car to connect these communities. The project brings together young people on both sides of the lake through a series of fieldtrips and collaborative design workshops, connecting both communities to the water, built heritage and piers of Lough Corrib. 

The project so far has involved collaboration between four local primary schools, local artists, local organisations & community groups around Lough Corrib. Partners of the project include The Corrib Beo Catchment Partnership - a coalition of communities, environmentalists and voluntary groups dedicated to the care, protection and sustainable development of the Corrib, its catchment landscapes, rivers and canals; Architecture at the Edge (AATE) and Headford & District Association (‘Something in the Water Festival’).

The design workshop and fieldtrip process has informed the design of two interactive installations on both Kilbeg and Knockferry piers - on the axis of the historic ferry route. The temporary installations will be formed using scaffolding structures and incorporate lighting and the artistic work created by the primary school students throughout the project.

Supported by:

Ballina HeritACT Co-Envisioning Day

Talk, Discussion, Walk/Tour, Workshop, Exhibition

Date: Saturday 05th October
Time: 10:00-17:00
Location: HeritHUB, Ballina Library, Pearse Street, Ballina, Co. Mayo.

Join the Ballina Co-Envisioning Day at the HeritHUB in Ballina Library. Connecting communities through an integrated and participatory approach to the cultural heritage and future of Ballina this HeritACT event aims to engage the local community in collaborative design processes to facilitate sustainable urban development.

Focusing on sustainable approaches participants will explore potential solutions for sites in Ballina through a series of interactive activities. These include a guided walk, and digital engagement exercises designed to assess, and negotiate site-specific interventions for selected historic sites in Ballina. The day will conclude with feedback and discussions on the outcomes, guiding the design and location of six potential solutions. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

‘Introduction to the HeritACT project and the 3-step project process (Co-Recognition, Co-Envisioning, Co-Implementation).

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM: Sense-Making Activity Using SustainACT

Identify impacts of the proposed HeritACT solutions.

11:30 AM - 12:00 PM: Story Map of Ballina Presentation

Presentation on the research activities and the proposed HeritACT activation sites.

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Walk, Talk, and Lunch Activity 

Guided walk around Ballina, visiting the proposed sites exploring the historical context and potential solutions. Packed lunch provided.

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM: World Café & Empathy Mapping Activity using NegoDesign. 

Evaluate and vote on the suitability of sites for the HeritACT activation solutions.

3:00 PM - 4:30 PM: Community Mapping Activity Using Design Your Heritage

Design optimal solutions for one of the historic sites, with a focus on critiquing and improving proposed HeritACT activation solutions.

4:30 PM: Closing Remarks and Next Steps

Recap of the day, completion of feedback forms, and information on upcoming HeritACT events.’

SEMAPHORE

Tom Cookson + Sarah Carroll

Exhibition

Date: Friday 27 September - Sunday, 6 October 2024
Time: 11:00 - 17:00
Location: The Shed, Middle Pier, Galway Harbour

Our project explores the built phenomenon of Irish signal towers and their position within the wider tradition of optical maritime communication. We are interested in the physical act of signalling to distant points and the distinctly Irish application of this technology. In response to a much feared French invasion in the early 1800s, a constellation of 81 signal towers were constructed along the periphery of the island. Signalling was achieved by means of flags and balls, relaying messages to and from inland locations and to ships at sea.

Our project culminates in an architectural installation within the maritime environment of Galway Docks. We will explore the idea of semaphore through a series of physical objects, unearthing and communicating the cultural history of signalling through words, artefacts and drawings.

Corresponding events will be found via the link in our Instagram bio over the coming weeks featuring an Artists Talk  on Saturday 05th October 3.00pm.