LID Architecture - Coastal Observatory
Coastal Observatory
Camouflaged Shelter for Bird and Whale-watching
The Aráinn Mhór Co-op wish to build a Coastal Observatory to cater for the increased number of visitors who come to the island to observe cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and migrating sea-birds. The site is Rinrawros Point, the most north-westerly peninsula of Aráinn Mhór and one of the most north-westerly points in Ireland. In such a harsh and exposed environment, we wanted to build a very robust structure. The building is a series of tilted reinforced concrete planes clad in bog-earth and stone. From a distance it is indistinguishable from the natural landscape. The building is semi-subterranean, asserting a sense of connection to the earth and taking its strength and solidity from the landscape around it.
