by Rose Rushe
Photo: Keith Wiseman
FIRSTLY, a deconstruction of the term ‘DoCoMoMo’. What the…? Carol Pollard, chairperson of this initiative, cites DoCoMoMo as shorthand for Documentation and Conservation of the Modern Movement [architecture]. And she explains, because Ireland as a state has a limited stock of such buildings, we speak essentially of a remit that is 20th century architecture.
City of Culture bailed in behind DoCoMoMo Ireland on foot of 2013’s successful open competition to repurpose – notionally – the Central Bank, which is Sam Stephenson’s icon to modernism. Limerick’s equivalent for 2014 was deemed to be Ranks Mills, its remaining Silo No.2 on the Dock Road ”a unanimous choice”.
Hence the competition title, ‘Ranks Silo in the 21st Century’ which corresponds with a City Council exhibition and book in 2012.
Pollard gave Arts page this insight at the prizegiving for architectural plans for ideal/ idealised uses for Ranks, in Central Buildings, 51A O’Connell Street on Tuesday June 10.
Photo: Keith Wiseman
Again it was open competition and with SAUL (School of Architecture at University of Limerick) rooted here, interest was avid and international.
This show is of relevant illustrated panels, graphing ingenious conversion of Ranks’ grim space by students and professionals. Imaginings range from a place of worship to a mixing station, inspired by original photographs taken by Franz S Haselbeck of Ranks Mills while under construction.
€4,500 in cash and editions of the book ‘Franz S Haselbeck’s Ireland’ were presented to winners by Patricia Haselbeck of the judging panel. Emma Gilleece of Limerick Civic Trust and Jackie Hayes, Limerick City archivist, were stakeholders in the initiative, with venue administrator Rev Vicki Lynch present also.
“For the prize winners, we looked at a combination of ideas and clarity,” Carol Pollard pointed out.
Leading ceremonies, Peter Carroll of SAUL and DoCoMoMo Ireland delighted in this Limerick competition attracting international interest: “It’s kind of telling that 1st, 2nd and 3rd place [winners] are from abroad. It says a lot about the people from SAUL in Limerick”.
He gave royal thanks to City of Culture for making the Ranks event possible. “It’s good for the public to enter into conservation about it, changing people’s perceptions with such innovative ideas is a positive”.
Photo: Keith Wiseman
For the record, Austrians Stephan Bruggar and Eva Hierzer took home €3000 and a lump of Ranks’ rock with the Haselbeck hardback for their concept, “kind of like an ark for plant seeds typical of Ireland, an adaptation of storage bins into climatised archive bins”.
Philippo Ginncasta and Gabriele Lupo of Switzerland came in 2nd with their Basilica and the Netherlands/ Denmark team of Larena Lord and Jeffrey Bolhus third with a “preserve, add and mix” functionality.
‘Ranks Silo in the 21st Century’ stays put until June 27.
