Ireland Meditation Mine

Ireland Meditation Mine

YAC launches a competition of ideas aiming to recondition an Irish industrial archeological masterpiece into a meditation destination immersed in nature

Brief

People often talk about it. Mass culture is steeped in its legends and landscapes. Yet, this time the Ireland we are about to describe is not the Ireland of Celts, moors, fairies or sprites.

This story is about a dusty Ireland made of dirt and sweat, efforts and poverty.

This is the Ireland of miners, men and women of brave heart that used to mine from the heart of the island the minerals feeding the furious 19th-century industry. This is a story of silent heroism, ordinary people, an extraordinary ordinariness attested by majestic ruins that are no less fascinating than the stark castles and mysterious abbeys depicting the best-known face of Romantic Ireland.

The architectures towering over Allihies mines are machine buildings that used to move miners underground. Today, they appear as gutted stone engines that seem to defy gravity with their huge cracks. Nevertheless, for centuries they have been guarding natural paradises that had been abandoned or visited by a few passionate hikers. Today though, the common perception is changing, and new scenarios are being set for these architectures too.

Indeed, there is a growing need to escape from the urban environment, from an everyday life that is often too suffocating and alienating. There is an increasingly common need for solitude, silence, return to vast natural spaces. It is the need to reconnect with one’s intimacy to be met by visiting places with supernatural fascination. Notoriously, Ireland is studded with the most intriguing scenarios.

Ancient mines were built to mine minerals from the mountain. However, in their ruins, maybe contemporary humanity can mine something that is even more valuable than metals and find that sense of peace and harmony contemporary society has somehow jeopardized.

This is the goal of the competition Meditation Mine aiming at turning Irish industrial archeology masterpieces into a retreat and meditation destination for people who look for meaningful experiences away from contemporaneity and immersed in the mystic beauty of a timeless nature.

Surrounded by stones tormented by the wind and uninterrupted silence, humanity can undertake the escape from civilization that urged the first wise men to retire to their caves in pursuit of a solitary life that has always been considered the most effective recipe of human happiness.

Site

Allihies is a former village of miners. It is situated among the hills where the ruins of ancient copper mines stand. Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, every night a vast sand bay hosts the most magnificent sunsets in of all Ireland. From the top of the hill that rises above it, Allihies is an aggregation of small colorful houses that immediately evoke the postcard of a vernacular Ireland with accentuated slopes and cylindrical chimneys. Among the buildings stand out a church, a museum, an emporium and of course a small pub. Here, people enjoy a delicious stew and a ruby red ale on cold days when the wind blows from the Ocean. Further East, the rhythm of the green moor is marked by unsteady low walls, which give the Irish countryside its unique touch. Here, far away from large cities- fortunately only a few- one can fully appreciate such inimitability in places where one can still feel the timeless fascination of the life of the ancient Gaels. It is impossible to talk about Allihies without referring to its surroundings. It is also impossible to imagine the future of this place without connecting it with the numerous historical and cultural wonders of Ireland. After all, Ireland is a small country. In this sense, the facility the competition aims to design will be a center providing information and knowledge about the local area. It will be a place of destination but also a departure for those who wish to venture into this beautiful country. Therefore, hereby follow some indications to guide and inspire participants. Read more here.

Jury

Each jury is nominated with utmost care and is composed by professionals of the highest repute whose activity is consistent with the theme of the competition.

• Gong Dong | Vector Architects
• Danny Collins | County Councillor West Cork
• Edoardo Currà 
• Valerie Mulvin | McCllough Mulvin
• Federico Pompignoli 
• Nei lHubbard | Heatherwick Studio
• Rossana Hu | Neri&Hu
• Tadhg O'Sullivan | Allihies Copper Mine Museum

Prizes

All awarded projects will be sent to websites, magazines, and architectural platforms. Furthermore, they can be displayed in national and international architectural events.

• 1st Prize = €8,000
• 2nd Prize = €4,000
• 3rd Prize = €2,000
• 2x Gold Mentions = €500

Honorable Mentions: 10 Finalits: 30

Download competition details here.
For more information visit: https://www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com/open-competitions/ireland-mediation-mine