Cliffs of Moher Coach Reception Facility
A building at the intersection of architecture, infrastructure and landscape.
The building was designed to have a minimum visual impact on the stunning landscape. It is a wonderful example of the use of concrete – using both its strength to hold back the mound, beneath which the offices dwell, and the finesse of the material giving shape and texture. Particularly clever and subtle are the lighting niches and skylights. The sharp angles of the entrances to the subterranean offices change depending on your point of view.
Cliffs of Moher Coach Reception Facility
A building at the intersection of architecture, infrastructure and landscape.
The building was designed to have a minimum visual impact on the stunning landscape. It is a wonderful example of the use of concrete – using both its strength to hold back the mound, beneath which the offices dwell, and the finesse of the material giving shape and texture. Particularly clever and subtle are the lighting niches and skylights. The sharp angles of the entrances to the subterranean offices change depending on your point of view.
An essential piece of new infrastructure, the facilities building is wedged between two existing site constraints; a coach entrance road and an operating underground waste water treatment plant. The building houses public toilets, and a reception and office for the monitoring of the many coach arrivals at the Cliffs of Moher in West Clare.
Nestled beneath a blanket of earth, the 143m2 facility is within the Burren & Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark and also within a special protection area (SPA) under EU law; these environmental realities, and the time constraint of the off-season window, dictated the short 5-month construction programme through the winter of 2016 and spring of 2017.
An essential piece of new infrastructure, the facilities building is wedged between two existing site constraints; a coach entrance road and an operating underground waste water treatment plant. The building houses public toilets, and a reception and office for the monitoring of the many coach arrivals at the Cliffs of Moher in West Clare.
Nestled beneath a blanket of earth, the 143m2 facility is within the Burren & Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark and also within a special protection area (SPA) under EU law; these environmental realities, and the time constraint of the off-season window, dictated the short 5-month construction programme through the winter of 2016 and spring of 2017.
The scheme exemplifies the possibilities of the local, both in materials and craftmanship (West Clare contractors). The purposeful use of locally-sourced, indigenous concrete delivered a time-saving, self-finished architecture. Concrete was placed and exposed on all walls, floors, and ceilings to further integrate the cave-like building into its karst landscape context. The floor finish was carefully considered to assist in defining spaces, using either textured or smooth treatment to support and define use. Natural light is introduced into the buildings buried depths by cast in-situ lightwells, which intensify the spatial atmospheres inherent in the building’s subterranean condition.
The building discretely welcomes visitors – it is not the main visitor building – with concrete entrance portals, the only façades visible. These portals are connected by a concrete tunnel punctuated by natural light from above (lightwell) and side (courtyard) to guide the user to the functions within the building.
Concrete is here quietly enjoyed in all its variety of material functions – retaining, lining, bounding, separating, delineating and supporting – and in all its speleological tectonic glory as ceilings, walls, floors and pathways.
The building was the recipient of the Irish Concrete Society’s ‘Building of the Year’ award for 2018.
The project is located on a brownfield site at the edge of the town, adjoining existing housing estates behind the main street. The design strategy introduces a new urban square that integrates the development into the town’s structure. It is planned in two phases: Phase 1 delivers 22 social housing units arranged around the central space, while Phase 2 will add 13 more to complete the square.
The scheme exemplifies the possibilities of the local, both in materials and craftmanship (West Clare contractors). The purposeful use of locally-sourced, indigenous concrete delivered a time-saving, self-finished architecture. Concrete was placed and exposed on all walls, floors, and ceilings to further integrate the cave-like building into its karst landscape context. The floor finish was carefully considered to assist in defining spaces, using either textured or smooth treatment to support and define use. Natural light is introduced into the buildings buried depths by cast in-situ lightwells, which intensify the spatial atmospheres inherent in the building’s subterranean condition.
The building discretely welcomes visitors – it is not the main visitor building – with concrete entrance portals, the only façades visible. These portals are connected by a concrete tunnel punctuated by natural light from above (lightwell) and side (courtyard) to guide the user to the functions within the building.
Concrete is here quietly enjoyed in all its variety of material functions – retaining, lining, bounding, separating, delineating and supporting – and in all its speleological tectonic glory as ceilings, walls, floors and pathways.
The building was the recipient of the Irish Concrete Society’s ‘Building of the Year’ award for 2018.
Access a PDF from Architecture Ireland about the Cliffs of Moher Coach Reception Facility project below.