An innovative events space made from rammed earth, timber, and thatch has been completed in Ireland's Tramore Valley Park in Cork, marking the first time rammed earth has been used for a publicly funded structure in the country. The project, designed by local firm Fuinneamh Workshop Architects, represents a groundbreaking approach to sustainable architecture that connects directly with the site's unique environmental history.
The structure, officially named the KinShip EcoLab but dubbed "Den Talamh" (meaning "of the earth" in Irish) by its creators, was commissioned by arts initiative KinShip, Cork City Council, and Creative Ireland. The building serves as a dedicated space for meetings and events focused on environmental issues and biodiversity conservation.
Fuinneamh Workshop Architects won the project through a competitive two-stage selection process. The firm's design principal, Seán Antóin Ó Muirí, explained the philosophy behind the deliberately simple structure: "The design for the EcoLab is deliberately rudimentary – its materials are an attempt to respond to the vegetation and tones of the park context. Our design proposal for the project comes from the idea that materials come from the ground and ultimately go back into the ground. Thus, we were quite conscious of the provenance of materials during the design process."
The shelter is strategically positioned to overlook Carroll's Bog, a marshland area within Tramore Valley Park. The park itself has a remarkable transformation story – it was formerly a municipal landfill site that operated from 1964 until 2009 and has since been converted into a thriving biodiverse park and wetland ecosystem.
This history directly influenced the architectural approach, as Ó Muirí revealed: "I have vivid memories as a child of watching large yellow track machines moving across the landscape and pushing the rubbish into the ground. The idea of making the walls and columns in rammed earth was a response to this history of compaction on the site."
The eight-by-five-meter shelter is supported by an elegant structural system consisting of two substantial side walls and four prominent columns. The building's proportions deliberately reference the scale of a traditional Irish cottage, creating a familiar and welcoming presence in the landscape. Meanwhile, the column design draws inspiration from ancient Greek agoras, acknowledging the building's role as a space for public discussion, debate, and community gathering.
The construction process was as innovative as the design itself. The rammed earth walls and columns were built using soil sourced from near the construction site, which was hand-processed over an ambitious nine-month construction period. This represented not just an architectural first for Ireland's public building sector, but also a significant technical achievement requiring specialized knowledge and careful execution.
Local carpenter Eamonn Wiseman played a crucial role in the project's success by developing a custom shuttering system for the rammed earth formwork. This system was specifically designed to be maneuverable without heavy plant machinery, which Ó Muirí described as "invaluable" given the project's minimal budget constraints. This innovation allowed the construction team to work efficiently while maintaining the project's sustainable principles.
The shelter is crowned with a traditional hipped thatched roof constructed on a timber frame, creating a striking visual connection to Ireland's architectural heritage. Below, the floor is made from hoggin – a natural mixture of subsoil, sand, and gravel that provides durability while maintaining the building's earth-focused material palette.
Engineering considerations led to the inclusion of a continuous box beam running around the roof's perimeter. This structural element was specifically developed to ensure the building's stability and integrity, particularly in the event that the rammed earth structure might face vandalism or accidental damage – a practical concern for any public building.
The entire construction process exemplified community collaboration and sustainable practices. The project was completed with volunteer support from the Cork Centre for Architectural Education and Munster Technological University, along with assistance from friends and supporters of Fuinneamh Workshop Architects. This approach not only kept costs manageable but also created educational opportunities for students and community members to learn about traditional and sustainable building techniques.
The Den Talamh project represents a significant milestone in Irish sustainable architecture, demonstrating how traditional building materials and techniques can be adapted for contemporary public use. By using locally sourced, bio-based materials that can "ultimately go back into the ground," the architects have created a structure that embodies the environmental principles it was designed to promote.
The project joins a growing movement of innovative architectural projects across Ireland that blend traditional building methods with contemporary design needs. The success of this rammed earth structure may pave the way for similar sustainable public buildings throughout the country, offering a model for how architecture can respond sensitively to both environmental concerns and cultural heritage.
Photography for the project was provided by Jed Niezgoda, capturing the building's integration with its natural surroundings and its role as both a functional space and an architectural statement about sustainable design principles.
