DRAWBRIDGE WORKSHOP
A prototyping workshop in collaboration with Howff Architects as part of Culture Night
Friday, 20 September 2024
Kunstverein Aughrim
Booking via Eventbrite
This is a half-day workshop, best suited for adults, where participants will work in collaboration with architects, artists and designers to assemble a prototype drawbridge, conceived and designed as a temporary solution to the problem of access at the threshold of Kunstverein Aughrim. A series of stone and concrete steps make the entrance impossible to traverse on wheels. This temporary drawbridge is proposed to highlight and generate discussion on a town-wide accessibility issue, by way of facilitating temporary ramped entry without necessitating major renovation, and within the existing structure of the building.
As part of the workshop, Kunstverein Aughrim and Howff will present their learning following a year-long project titled Suppose a Stone. This project was developed in collaboration with Aughrim Tidy Towns CLG and Aughrim Active Retirement Group, as an all-ages, interspecies accessibility audit of the town of Aughrim, supported by the Irish Architecture Foundation’s Reimagine Hometown Architect initiative. Through Suppose a Stone we carried out town surveys, produced activity maps, commissioned a sensory walk with choreographer Aoife McAtamney, undertook a walkability study with Age Friendly Ireland, and devised this drawbridge workshop, all in an effort to identify, understand, investigate and navigate issues around accessibility.
Suppose a Stone was a 2023/24 collaboration between Aughrim Tidy Towns CLG, Aughrim Active Retirement Group, Kunstverein Aughrim and Howff Architects, supported by Hometown Architect, as part of the Irish Architecture Foundation’s nationwide Reimagine placemaking programme.
The Drawbridge Workshop on Friday 20 September is a free but ticketed event, advance booking for workshop participation is essential. Please reserve your spot via Eventbrite.
Schedule:
2pm assemble at Kunstverein Aughrim
2:15pm welcome
2:30pm introduction and short presentation
3pm refreshments
3:30pm build, assembly, installation, demonstration
5pm conclusion
Access:
Kunstverein Aughrim is located off Main Street in the village of Aughrim. There is limited on-street parking around the town. Kunstverein Aughrim is unfortunately not currently wheelchair accessible, due to a series of stone and concrete steps at the threshold (which this workshop hopes to address). First Batch is a cafe nearby (open until 4pm) with wheelchair accessible toilets. If you have questions or specific access requirements please contact us via email to office@kunstverein.ie and we will do our best to facilitate your full participation.
Biographies:
Howff is a Dublin and Wicklow based architecture and design studio. The practice spans multiple typologies including residential, cultural, educational and temporary installations. The studio has a strong design focus, and seeks to produce architecture that positively transforms the experiences of its users and the wider community. Howff’s projects are characterised by a sensitive approach to materials and intuitive understanding of construction and detail. Howff value collaboration, with a process that is both precise and exploratory, underpinned by research and technical expertise.
