The Potentiality of Incompleteness: The regeneration of the Sister's of Mercy Convent & Chapel
The United Nations have stated that the population pyramid is reversing. Birth rates are steadily decreasing and simultaneously, life expectancy is on the rise. We must therefore adapt to provide for our ageing communities as well as our youth. Thus, the proposed use for the Sister's of Mercy Convent and Chapel is an Intergenerational Centre, answering this need by sustainably activating desolate spaces and creating an age-friendly facility and allowing inclusivity within Skibbereen's Community.
Local
Ireland
Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland
It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
The adaptation of the Sisters of Mercy Convent and Chapel offers a new intergenerational Community Centre for Skibbereen, providing a unifying, inclusive and creative outlet for the local community. This project was initiated to activate spaces to fill the generation gap evident in Irish communities. This language was, therefore, also translated into the design development and conceptual process of restoring the derelict Sisters of Mercy Convent and Chapel.
Within the current desolate building, there are fragmentary qualities, gaps of incompleteness and blurred thresholds, evident due to the building lacking an integral form. These qualities give way to an opportunity to fuse the contrast of past and present into one united form. The proposed design intervention intent was for the building to be experienced as a series of spaces both contemporary and existing. To do this I increased the tension between old and new. Additionally, these spaces would be sustainably designed by being both universally designed and have the ability to be adapted to suit different uses.
The conceptual design features a range of facilities, providing an inclusive outlet for the local community. These include; an early childhood centre, an elderly daycare centre, a cafe, an auditorium and event space, adaptable studios, and a culinary workshop. The building's densely layered historical envelope is referenced throughout the sustainable design, aiding in the creation of a spatiotemporal and aesthetic experience for occupants.
The contemporary treatment of new additions is juxtaposed alongside the existing buildings' decay. This aids in unifying the entire design, establishing an embodying its continuity both inside and out. The new sustainable plywood layer has been incorporated alongside the existing buildings' densely stratified makeup. A new steel and timber structural layer will aid in mediating the difference between the two.
Inclusivity
Adaptability and Sustainability
Universal Design
Spatiotemporal and Aesthetic experience
Conservation, Regeneration & Restoration
Within the proposed design, a number of solutions have been utilised to achieve an adequately sustainable, passive design with a b2 rating. The current building typology is that of two interconnected derelict buildings with 600mm thick stone walls, collapsed timber frame floor slabs, single glazed fenestration that has no structural stability, a collapsing roof structure, and no apparent insulation.
Floor:
The proposed design has installed underfloor heating and Roundtower’s Glaper Foam Glass Insulating Gravel into all levels of the design. Glapor Foam Glass Insulating Gravel has been chosen as the preffered insulating option due to versatility and unique characteristics; it is light weight, load bearing, draining, fire resistant and insulating.
Walls:
Breathability is a high priority within the structure in the hopes of avoiding mould growth or interstitial condensation within the old stone walls. The existing rubble stone walls will be repointed. These walls will then be grouted at their core with a lime-based injection. Lime based grout has been chosen due to it sustainability: biodegradable and manufacture produces using 20% less carbon dioxide than cement production
Windows and Openings:
Existing windows will be remade to maintain the character of the original 1860 sash window style. They will be reinstalled with triple glazed fenestration and situated in line with the wall insulation. This will prevent flanking heat loss, and aid in the passive design of the building, achieving a <1w / m2k. The leaded stained glass windows of the Chapel and Convent building will be externally storm glazed.
Roof:
The arched and hip roofs will be remade. Rockwools breathable pitched roof insulation will be placed along the pitch of the new metal chapel oxidised copper roof.
Active Systems:
Active elements will be added to aid in creating a b2 rated passive build. These include: A mechanical ventilation heat recovery system & Daiken’s air to water heat pump
The convent buildings ruined nature gives way for an interesting space in which to insert an Early childhood centre and Elderly day care centre. This inclusive facility will help combat loneliness, and promote sociability. The convent building also allows space to create co-learning spaces that will promote intergenerational learning.
This proposed design for Skibbereen’s Intergenerational Centre will focus on three pillars important in Skibbereen;
• Caregiving & Community
• Collaboration & Learning
• Activity & Wellness
Each level within the building will take on the role of a pillar, working up from level 3.00mm, as level 0.00mm will facilitate the public toilets and staff room. This building will serve as a dynamic meeting, caregiving, and learning space for the community across all generations. The main functions of the building are located in the convent building at levels 6.00 and 10.00mm.
On level 6.00mm an Elderly day care centre and Early childhood centre is located for use by the local community. The convent buildings large site which is currently overgrown with vegetation allows for space to insert a garden courtyard, giving way to a space where generations can unite and socialise conjointly, taking part in outdoor activities such as gardening.
At level 10.00mm a culinary workshop is located for to promote intergenerational activities, as well as a study space where computer workshops can take place. The study space and accompanying hot-desking facility creates a spacious co-learning environment where individuals in the community can socialise and learn from one another. It also create a unique work space where one is surrounded by the existing buildings stratified historic configuration. The hot-desking space gives individuals the opportunity to gaze down upon the chapels exhbition space (which promotes the talent present in Skibbereen along with the history of the building and the local area) which takes place a level below.
The Intergenerational Centre is to be a community building, and thus is free to use by all members. Compliance with accessibility for the restoration has been addressed by the use of the Technical Guidance Document Part M. It is important for this building to comply through access and use, welcoming those in the community and surrounding areas with diverse abilities. Due to this, I followed the NDA’s 7 principles of Universal Design, developed in 1997 when designing the proposal for the building. They are as follows; Equitable Use, Flexibility in Use, Simple and Intuitive Use, Perceptible Information, Tolerance for Error, Low Physical Effort and Size and Space for Approach and Use.
All entrances and corridors will have a minimum clear width of 1050mm which complies with TGD M. A ‘push to open’ power-operated door will be installed, allowing people with limited mobility to access the building without discomfort. A push panel will additionally be located on the push side of the entrance doors to avoid any additional confusion. Visual contrast on on floor to ceiling glazing is provided by manifestations at heights of 850mm from the ground and 1400mm from the ground for people with visual impairments. Glazing also features a colour contrasting frame for clear visibility and ease of use.
Three passenger lifts are to be located in the buildings regeneration. This is to comply with the Technical Guidance Documents Part M Section 1.3.4.2. It states that the lift must have a clear manoeuvring space of 1800mm x 1800mm in the front of the entrance point of the lift. This is provided for in the proposed sustainable design.
All stairways within the Convent building are a width of 1200mm, allowing two people to pass each other comfortably. Therefore, all stairways are in compliance with TGD B. All steps feature contrasting nosing’s 60mm wide continuous with the step material. This allows for people with any visual impairments to use the stairs at ease.
Having interviewed members of the Skibbereen community and those who are to be the facility's main users, I attained three pillars important to the community. These became the three areas of focus within the building's regeneration and future use.
These pillars are;
• Caregiving & Community
• Collaboration & Learning
• Activity & Wellness
The current 'generation gap' evident in Irish communities emphasises the differences between and among varying age groups. Intergenerational programs recognise the value and importance of bringing generations together through unifying activities. Having interviewed members who work in elderly care and youth teaching sectors in Ireland, I obtained many beneficial points to intergenerational activities. Members stated that unifying activities help:
To energize the elderly and give them a sense of purpose, especially when sharing their experiences and skillset.
To reduce a sense of isolation for the older population and aid in relieving or lessening depression.
Allow all generations to obtain new and old skills and hobbies.
Dispel and dismiss negative stereotypes and encourage bonding among varying generations.
To help the youth understand ageing, allowing them to face their own more positively in the future.
Youth who do not have grandparents or other elderly family members in their families to engage with older adults and fill their family's social gap.
In the future, the Intergenerational Centre's user members and Skibbereen's community members will be questioned as to what they would like implemented more within the centre. This includes actives the would like to be held there as well as additional facilities and aids for youth and elderly members.
This project represents work undertaken for my BSc Interior Architecture degree. Throughout the design development and conceptual process, many stakeholders from at various levels engaged with my design, aiding in its outcome. These stakeholder members included:
1. Skibbereens local community
2. Skibbereen town council
3. Cork County Council
Members of the Skibbereens local community provided me with knowledge about what facilities their community required and what areas were most important for them. This knowledge allowed me to create three pillars that the conceptual design focused on and thus create an intergenerational centre with sufficient inclusive facilities for the community.
Members of Skibbereen's town council provided me with knowledge of the building itself, allowing me to obtain a cultural understanding of its current state and its deterioration over the years. Additionally, I gained knowledge of its former ecclesiastical use as a convent and chapel for the Skibbereen community. This knowledge allowed me to design a building that reflected an understanding and appreciation of the building's former use.
The religious orders were formerly known for their lack of material value. To reflect this understanding I stripped my final presentation of this project of colour. Simplistic monochrome line drawings were used to articulate the proposed design. The purity of this type of presentation allows the forms created to be clearly demonstrated with the absence of complicating renders. This restraint presentation also gave me the ability to show materiality through hatching and creating a contrasting composition through the use of shadow and lighting (showcasing its spatiotemporal aesthetic).
Members of the Cork County Council provided me with the 2022 County development plan. The 2022 ‘Skibbereen Regeneration Area’ plan highlighted the proposed site (X -01) as a significant strategic opportunity for the future development of the town.
This project represents work undertaken between August 2021 and May 2022 for my BSc Interior Architecture degree. Throughout the design development process, many representatives from different disciplines and knowledge fields interacted with my design, aiding in its outcome. These disciplines members included:
1. Architects
2. Interior Architects
3. Conservation Architects
4. Engineers
5. Council Members
6. Health Care Members
7. Teachers
Members from the architecture and design sector attained knowledge in sustainability and engineering. Throughout the design process, I was provided with knowledge of what would be beneficial within this building for these sectors. This allowed me to design a b2-rated building that had sufficient structural stability.
Members of the Cork County Council provided me with building regulation Technical Guidance documents. These guidelines were necessary to create a compliant building that could be successfully and easily used by all members of the community. As a result of these documents, I was able to create a building compliance report for the conceptual design, showing evidence of the building's usability ease and fire regulation.
Members of the Health Care system provided me with knowledge about the elderly generation. This knowledge allowed me to design a building sufficiently usable for an older generation. I gained knowledge on what facilities an elderly day care centre required and what design aids had to be implemented. To showcase the concepts of universal design and Technical Guidance documents Part M I created a compliance report.
Members of the teaching sector provided me with knowledge about the younger generation. This knowledge allowed me to design a building sufficiently usable for the young generation. I gained knowledge on what facilities an early childhood centre required and what design aids had to be implemented. To showcase the concepts of universal design and Technical Guidance documents
The conservation of historic buildings is becoming a popular choice in mainstream architectural projects today. However many of these projects do not take adaptability, universal design and an appreciation of the former building's use into account.
Within this design, adaptability is key while also retaining the true sense of the history and original use of the existing building throughout the scheme. This is achieved through preserving much of the building's vernacular form, and re-introducing or hinting towards aspects of it in the new interventions' structural and plywood strata. It is also achieved through reintroducing material properties that are present or were previously present in the building. This led to the creation of spaces on multiple levels that were adaptable and versatile, yet aided in exposing the existing building in new and diverse ways.
Fragments of the existing building bring many opportunities. The chapel allows for an exhibition space to promote the talent present in Skibbereen along with the history of the building and the local area.
The convent buildings ruined nature gives way to an interesting space in which to insert an Early childhood centre and Elderly daycare centre. This facility will help combat loneliness, and promote sociability. The convent building also allows space to create co-learning spaces that will promote intergenerational learning. The large site which is currently overgrown with vegetation allows for space to insert a garden courtyard, giving way to a space where generations can unite and socialise conjointly, taking part in outdoor activities such as gardening.
The two 6m deep excavations to the north and eastern elevations of the building allow for additional public space. These spaces will focus on promoting wellness and an active lifestyle. These intertwined building facilities aim to allow for occupancy throughout all hours of the day, creating a stimulating and lively environment.
The conceptual process's methodology can be replicated or transferred to other building contexts.
Mapping and Site context:
I began by mapping the site and the surrounding areas of the Sisters of Mercy Convent and Chapel. This allowed me to identify cultural facilities needed in the area and the age groups that would be utilising these facilities.
Images of the building's envelope and previously intact interior were studied, drawn and overlaid. This led to the creation of abstract shapes and a series of design principles which were drawn from aspects and elements of the building that appeared often. These drawings then developed into 3D forms and sectional studies which could be applied to the building context. These studies were the starting points of the overall design concept.
From here I began to investigate this idea as an architectural language, creating forms whose makeup was a collection of juxtaposed historic and modern materials. I created these forms from line drawings of images of the building itself. This led me to consider the concept of ruination and decay. The idea is that the ruin is not the end of an artefact, but the beginning of its investigation.
Master planning:
Many stages of master planning were undertaken to reach the final layout of the building. The aim was to is to create an intergenerational and community-oriented space spanning four levels. The aim on each floor was to group functions that complemented each other and worked effectively together.
Initial Design & Building Compliance:
The initial design aimed to take inspiration from the existing building's layered and stratified nature. The design process focused on line studies and sketches of the interior and exterior of the bu envelope. This led to the creation of an abstract concept for the building.
To obtain a final design I addressed building regulations to allow for a fully compliant design. As a result of this many design decisions changed.
The proposed use for Skibbereen’s Sister's of Mercy Convent and Chapel is an Intergenerational Centre, with the intent focus on promoting sociability between the youth and elders within the community. The United Nations have stated that the population pyramid is reversing, meaning birth rates are steadily decreasing and simultaneously, life expectancy is on the rise. Thus, the elderly population is growing at a faster rate than our youth. We must therefore adapt our communities services to provide for the seniors in our community. Not enough care towards this part of the population promotes loneliness, leading to a lower quality of life for our elders.
Thus, this proposed Intergenerational centre will have a direct focus on combating this global challenge in Skibbereen town by creating an age-friendly facility. This will allow for inclusivity within the community, a space where seniors can take part and enjoy an active and healthy life alongside our youth. At present, Skibbereen town consists of 06 youth educational facilities and 05 elderly residential developments. It should also be noted that the 2022 County Development plan for Skibbereen highlighted the proposed site (X -01) as a significant strategic opportunity for the future development of the town. It states in its ‘Skibbereen Regeneration Area’ plan that;
“ The Council will work with owners/developers to consider a wide range of potential uses including, residential, office, community, tourist, and accommodation on the site as part of an integrated mixed-use development. Any development should have regard to the architectural character of the existing buildings, it is an attractive setting”.
This proposed design will focus on three pillars important to Skibbereen’s community; Caregiving & Community, Collaboration & Learning, and finally Activity & Wellness. Each level within the building will take on the role of a pillar. This building will seek to serve as a dynamic space for all generations
