Tale of the Tongs: Spirit of Place + Spirit of Design

Architectural Installation: 200 gsf, $125k

Location: Inishturk, County Mayo, Ireland

Status: Built, 2013

DESCRIPTION: Located on the remote island of Inishturk, Ireland, the Tale of the Tongs installation gathers the great Irish Diaspora to rekindle their home fires. The project celebrates the mythology, culture, and spirit of the extraordinary place through the use of local materials and serves as a pilgrimmage destination – a meditation space for re-connecting with the historical past. As a design-build expedition, the project was designed by students over the course of a semester and built in 9 days.

RECOGNITIONS + AWARDS:

Most Innovative Local Authority project of the Year in Ireland, LAMA, 2014
Merit Award in Architecture, American Institute of Architects, 2013
Tale of the Tongs: A Documentary Film (60 min), 2014

DESIGN TEAM: Undergraduate/Graduate Students at Catholic University of America – Travis Price, FAIA

PROJECT CONTRIBUTIONS: conceptual development; historical, cultural, mythological, and site analysis; design collaboration throughout SD, DD, CD