Cuadernos Exhibition
The exhibition coincides with the publication of an issue of the Spanish architectural magazine TC Cuadernos dedicated to McCullough Mulvin Architects in Dublin. This is an unusual event in itself and represents Spanish architectural culture spreading its wings in the international context. The specific reason for the publication is twofold.
The first is that the architectural work of McCullough Mulvin Architects is of a high international quality and is less well-known than it should be in Europe and the wider world. TC Cuadernos will address this issue but place it in a Spanish context. The second is that the work of the practice represents a unusual link between architecture in Ireland and Spain. McCullough Mulvin Architects have made a study of Spanish contemporary architecture over several years and have visited and recorded many contemporary projects ( the work of Sobejano Nieto, RCR, Selgos Cano and many more ). They have a particular affinity with the idea of contemporary practice in a defined geography such as practiced by architects like RCR in Catalonia- working on the basis that quality and universal values in architecture can be achieved outside metropolitan centres. The influence of Spanish practice on their own work can be seen in formal and material contexts, for instance the geometric stone form of the Ussher Library in Trinity College in Dublin, the timber interior of Waterford Library and a particular approach to radical intervention into existing buildings ( Dublin Dental Hospital and Rush Library ) which is essentially Spanish in nature.
Details of Exhibition Content.
The exhibition is organized, like the TC Cuadernos publication, into three themes- building and making geographies in landscape, in the city and in radical interventive contemporary practice in existing buildings. The exhibition will be designed to fill the Cervantes exhibition space in Dublin. It will comprise:
1) Introductory text with practice chronology and evolution- demonstration of the links of McCullough Mulvin work with Spanish contemporary practice.
2) Seven Dublin projects- McCullough Mulvin as the architects of the city- the Long Room Hub, Ussher Library and Dublin Dental Hospital in Trinity College, domestic works in Leeson Park and Arbour Hill, office building in Lincoln Place and school in The Coombe. These will be added to by other ( built and unbuilt ) Dublin projects- the Digital Hub, Temple Bar, works in the Douglas Hyde Gallery, the Abbey Theatre- which will explain the ideas of the practice in the specific Dublin urban context.
3) Nine country projects: Tubbercurry Civic Offices, The Beaufort Laboratory in Cork, Waterford Fire Station, Thurles Arts Centre, the Medico Legal Centre, VRL laboratory in UCD. Schools in Cavan and Ballinamore Co Leitrim and a sports pavilion in Cork- the Mardyke Pavilion. These will be supported by other built and unbuilt projects which explain the ideas of the practice in the rural context - Glanmire Chilrdens Centre, Caherciveen Civic Offices, Oak Park Offices, Westport Fire Station. Siena Monastery.
4) Six intervention projects combining new and old- The Model Arts and Niland Gallery in Sligo, Waterford City Library, Senior College Blackrock, Rush Library, Bessboro Hospital and the current St Marys and Butler projects in Kilkenny. As above, these will be supported by other projects which support the explanation of the theme- the current Military Archives project being prepared for the 1916 anniversary, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Hall, Sligo Courthouse, Kilkenny Library, the Free Church, City Walls, work in the Venice Biennale.
All projects are presented through the medium of photographs at A1, original drawings and models. Most of the photographs of the work of the practice have been taken by the internationally renowned architectural photographer Christian Richters and his work will form a sub-theme through the exhibition.