ad•ap•ta•tion
a. The act or process of adapting.
b. The state of being adapted.
c. Something, such as a device or mechanism, that is changed or changes so as to become suitable to a new or special application or situation.
d. A composition that has been recast into a new form: The play is an adaptation of a short novel.

2. Biology An alteration or adjustment in structure or habits, often hereditary, by which a species or individual improves its condition in relationship to its environment.

3. Physiology The responsive adjustment of a sense organ, such as the eye, to varying conditions, such as light intensity.

4. Change in behaviour of a person or group in response to new or modified surroundings.

© Tom dePaor Architects

Introduction

 

The theme of Adaptation is an intrinsic part of the Assembly. It aims to deal with both subjective and abstract ideas at a variety of scales, from countrywide to individual projects.

From decades of fiscal and economic penury, Ireland has emerged over the last fifteen years as a tiger economy on the Atlantic rim with the lowest unemployment rate in Europe and the highest rate of immigration. Clearly such economic changes are not exclusive but accompany major changes in the social, cultural, political and environmental mindset of the nation.

Ireland is a country of approximately 4.5 million inhabitants; a conservative estimate of 70,000 immigrants arrive in Ireland every year. There are now an estimated 167 languages in everyday use, whereas previously they could literally have been counted on one hand. Society is increasingly secular, in what was once one of the most Catholic states in Western Europe. 40% of all housing has been built in the last 15 years, at a rate 5 times that of Italy, 6 times that of Britain and 7 times that of Germany. In 1995 the average price of a new home was €77,994; by 2004, it was €249,191. Productivity growth in that decade (1995-2004) was twice that of our nearest EU competitor (Finland). Ireland has clearly undergone massive changes. As architects, urbanists and planners, it is vital to actively analyse the adaptations and changes that have come to pass in the space of a generation. Particularly relevant is the explosion of growth in and around Dublin, a city which has doubled in population over twenty years. Given this increase in population and size, and despite the influx of genuinely vast sums of money, the city is identified with a distinct lack of urban planning and conscientious development to the point where it has been identified by the EU as an example of how not to develop cities.

The Section Through Ireland exposes participants to the existing models of development, rapid suburbanisation and subsequent sprawl. The journey from Dublin to Letterfrack gives an observable visual transition, an urban, economic, cultural and social section of the country. It examines the trend of one-off rural housing as an unsustainable model, depriving the country of an effective system of public transportation. As once-thriving towns become engulfed by the sprawl of Dublin, communities become mere dormitory towns. In towns such as Naas and Navan, which have been consumed into the growth area of Dublin, new civic architecture holds the potential to re-invigorate the community, and instill a sense of identity.

Potential workshops could propose new solutions for living in the Irish countryside, more suitable models for its development, new ideas on developing public transportation and even cautionary tales of what could come to pass should development continue in this form.

© FKL Architects

 

Taking the village of Letterfrack as our location, we will study how successfully it has adapted to the economic, social and cultural changes that have swept from the Eastern urban centres to Western edges over the last 25 years. The sense and pride of community and of place in rural societies is unachievable in urban centres, in part due to a strong sense of identity and its transfer through generations – be it in craft, language, even stories.

The attractions of landscape, tradition, culture and community are a constant draw to these regions. What has Letterfrack lost? What has Letterfrack gained? Are local crafts dying or have they met the challenge of the modern world? How have the lives of the locals changed? Furthermore, how has the composition of the local population changed? Finally, what does the future hold for Letterfrack and similar rural communities? Letterfrack has an admirable history of self sufficiency and community-based entrepreneurship, adaptation and re-use, specifically concerning the buildings that now compose GMIT Letterfrack. Having started as a Quaker Workhouse, the building came to be used as a Christian Brother’s Industrial School for a long period before its current incarnation as a secular furniture college. Participants can learn from this example, whilst proposing ideas and projects that continue this adaptive process, ensuring that the village remains compact, coherent, lively and sustainable.

 

back to top >