Beyond Pebbledash Manifesto for a Better City
15th December 2014
The National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History, Collins Barracks, Benburb Street, Dublin 7.
What: Launch of City Makers exhibition
Who: Emily Logan Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights & Equality Commission
When: Tuesday, 16th Dec.
Time: 1.15 p.m.
Where: The National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History.
City Makers is an exhibition of work created as part of the Beyond Pebbledash Engagement with Architecture Programme. The Engagement with Architecture Programme funded by The Arts Council involved workshops for families, transition year students and youth groups working with architects and artists on the theme of ‘Living in the City’.
The series of workshops commenced with young people talking about ideas for living in the city leading to an exhibit titled ‘With Voice’. Work created includes, matchbox city, manifestos for a better city, ‘city makers’ models, future city drawings, models for ‘living in a shell’ (in the Anglo Irish Bank unfinished building) and living on water’ which are all about ideas for Living in the City and creating high density living with amenities.
The 1+ family workshops held as part of Open House Dublin were informed by the National Museum of Ireland collections and in particular the Eileen Gray exhibition. The exhibition coincides in a timely way with the recent launch of the biography of Eileen Gray by Jennifer Goff and the RTÉ television documentary about the designer Gray Matters.
Emily Logan, Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission will launch the exhibition on Tuesday 16th of December at 1.15 in the presence of students from CBS North Brunswick Street Secondary School and Boys and Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount Girls Secondary School.
About Beyond Pebbledash
Beyond Pebbledash is both a celebration of an overlooked icon of Irish domestic architecture and a design-driven discussion on the future of Dublin urbanism. The Beyond Pebbledash project includes the ‘construction’ of a house in the central square of one of Dublin’s National Museums, the publication of a book (also titled Beyond Pebbledash) and an Arts Council funded engagement programme, targeting young people and Transition Year students.
The Beyond Pebbledash House involves the installation of a ‘typical’ Dublin pebble-dash house, life-size, scale 1:1, to include a pebble-dash façade, and steel skeletal frame to replicate its walls, stairs, internal doors, rear fenestration, chimney and roof. The house will be on ‘display’ here at the Museum in Clarke Square, Collins Barracks from August to December 2014.
The Beyond Pebbledash house is intended to provoke questions in the mind of the viewer. ‘What have we built?’ And, critically, ‘Why have we built it here?’ This is an introduction to a bigger conversation on city living and the very nature of ‘house’ and ‘home’. ‘Where do we live and why?’, ‘What type of homes do we desire?’, ‘When is a home not a house?’ and ‘What makes a great liveable city?’ Beyond Pebbledash was initiated by Paul Kearns and Motti Ruimy (authors of REDRAWING DUBLIN).
The engagement programme draws on expertise in Dublin City Council (Public Arts Office and Heritage Office, Dublin City Council). The exhibition and educational programme will be run in partnership with the National Museum of Ireland from August to December 2014.
Participants in Workshops
Schools
Mercy College Inchicore, 3 visits, 19 students
Mercy College Coolcok, 3 visits, 25 students
St. John of God Special School, Islandbridge, 3 visits, 15 students
Presentation College Warrenmount, 3 visits, 16 students
Moyle Park College, 1 visit, 24 students
St. Joseph’s CBS Fairview, 1 visit, 28 students
Newpark Comprehensive, 1 visit, 20 students
Loreto Secondary School, St. Stephen’s Green, 3 visits, 24 students
St. Paul’s CBS North Brunswick Street, 3 visits, 30 students
Youth Groups
Comhairle Na NOg: 1 visit, 12 young people
Bradog Youth Group, 1 visit, 10 young people
Larkin Community College and The Abbey Theatre Homelessness Project, 1 visit, 15 Young People
FOR MORE PRESS INFORMATION CONTACT
Helen Beaumont, Education and Outreach Officer, National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks. hbeaumont@museum.ie / 087 2373192 / 01 6486405
Notes to the Editor:
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Beyond Pebbledash Manifesto for a Better City:
Video by Paddy Cahill
Redrawing Project 