Eye for Earth, Eye for Sky
The Irish landscape tells a story of time - its abandoned copper mines being the most evident traces of
every ordinary 19th-century laborer who ventured far below sea level for minerals. We would like to commemorate
the essential daily experience of these brave Irish miners - a physical transition from the blue
sky and the wondrous landscape down to the heart of the rugged earth.
The ancient Engine House and the mine are preserved as a ruin. We perceive the ruin as a truthful manifestation of Allihies’ past and the mining culture, therefore imposing minimal interventions to its found materials and spatial qualities.
The major intervention involves two timber volumes flanking both sides of the existing heritage. The larger triangular volume houses the museum. It is generated conceptually as an extension of the gable profile of the industrial vestige. The perforated railing and a set of hanging stairs elongate this “historical guideline” and lead visitors to the ancient copper mine. People pass through the untampered Engine House through a short bridge, or access its ground through a flight of steps, with the framed sky right above their head. Stones found on site are incorporated as structural support for these new volumes.
The museum, with the other two facilities, collectively form a rise-and-fall
experience from the sky to the earth. The accommodation is elevated above the cliff, overseeing the sprawling landscape
and the boundless Atlantic Ocean; sitting amid rocky grounds, the museum reconnects the overground
engine house and the excavated mine site, immersing visitors in the vestige of local mining history; the
wellness center embraces the ground, inviting people to look inward and discover their inner peace of
mind and body.
Honorable Mention - Young Architects Competition 2022
Collaborated with Siyu Zhu
Featured @ YAC
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