Gallery of Historical and New Art
Location
Kells Priory
County Kilkenny, Ireland
Project Status
Design Competitin
Awarded as Finalist
Photography
Renders by Hall and Roberts
Standing stoically in the hills of Kilkenny, Kells Priory is a weathered monument carrying and embodying the history of the medieval era.
Battered stone has weathered centuries and stands as a reminder of the craftsmen of the past. As such the introduction of a new purpose to the site provides an opportunity for artisans and craftsmen of the now to occupy, perform and display within the bounds of an historical artifact. The design proposal for this significant site seeks to create an immersive experience that leads visitors through, between and around the heritage in a manner of whimsical amusement and discovery.
The design approach is characterised by minimal, colourful structures that seek to honor the existing elements of the site, without competing with them. The new forms converse directly with the existing structure in a dialogue of old masonry meets new masonry. Stonework, the art form of the priory, co exists with coloured concrete, the art form of the new. The archways of the past have been reformed into the new work as oblong, uneven glazing portals, giving visitors glimpses into the activities within.
Accompanying the new structures is the establishment of a number of new trees that seek to define key moments of the journey through the site.
The architecture of the new is low in scale and thus performs its tasks in a discrete and no-fuss manner. Drawing on the locality of Ireland the flat roof structures are covered in turf with allowances for solar to be adorned for a low energy response. The structures can be built of site and assembled onto pre formed foundations, thus decreasing the need for a messy construction site and avoiding unnecessary damage to the existing relic.
To see all entries visit the competition link HERE.
Drawings
