Wolfe Tone Crescent
Dublin City Council
The brief was to create a welcoming universally accessible space addressing the greening and biodiversity remit of Dublin City Council.
An aerial view showing the flow of the stainless steel roots from our young oak to the planting bed and the tiles of the native birds we hope to entice into the space
The rawness of the exposed concrete blockwork on the existing site facade coupled with the shuttered shopfronts in the vicinity did little to frame or enhance a positive public realm and instead prompted a desire to create something special for the space.
The illustrations are intentionally positioned at varying heights to allow accessibility without barriers.
Peter Wohlleben's book ‘The Hidden Life of Trees’ influenced the concept. The author describes how
‘Trees are sentient communal beings, living their lives slowly caring for their young and neighbours through nutrient exchange systems in their roots’.
This narrative led to the development of a series of intuitive drawings exploring connectivity. Which, in turn informed the composition of a centrally located oak reaching out through its stainless steel tree roots connecting with the planting and tiled facade.
The idea to create a tiled permanent gallery on Wolfe Tone Street Crescent came about from a process of daydreaming and drawing. The soft, sketchy illustrations connect with viewers and arouse a curiosity in the character and nature of birds that we hope to entice into our city.
We worked closely with ornithologist and illustrator Killian Mullarney and specialist decal producers to bring the bespoke installation from concept to completion.
A pollinator friendly planting scheme rich in texture and contrasting forms was designed to thrive in this north facing site.
The stainless steel ‘roots’ are exposed before the concrete is poured. Chunks of recycled brown glass are seeded into the wet pour before sealing and polishing producing a jewel like ground surface finish.
