A Transparent Bank – Rush Credit Union Part 1 Project 2012 Rebecca DunneShona O'KeefeDylan CallananUltan O'ConchubhairGrainne Nic Gearailt University College Dublin | Ireland This project was the result of an investigation through a series of photographs of light and shadow patterns in glasshouses in the rural town of Rush. This market-garden town, situated on the coast of North County Dublin, relies heavily on its agricultural industry. The glasshouses range from domestic to commercial and can be found around the Rush landscape. The outcome was a community bank, which strives to distance itself from the rigid formality of the banking system, while reflecting the town’s modest resources. We found this particularly relevant in the current economic climate.Originally an individual community banking project, we were placed in groups of 4 and given a concept designed by another student to develop and detail design. The challenge of this project was to retain the essence of the original concept, which was based around ideas of transparency, play of light and blurred boundaries, while striving to convincingly realize and detail the building.Our intention was to create a light transparent skin sitting on a delicate structure where light could filter and permeate through while casting shadows through moveable timber slatted screens on the façade. By using a mixture of steel and timber elements we created an elegant structure with a series of differing levels of shading.The concept revolved around this idea of two different enclosing forms: one heavy and one light. The private staff areas were wrapped in a heavier concrete form along the spine of the building, while the delicate timber structure housed the public spaces. The courtyardsfurther blurred the boundaries of external and internal space, while the very essence of the transparent nature of the skin was captured through the elevation, where the courtyard can still be seen through the external layers of the facade.These adjustable lats that slide along the façade on rails can be used as another shading tool playing with light and can even be used as blinds to provide complete privacy or to open up the southern façade to Lambay Island.The greatest challenge was taking the finesse of the photographs and using them to design delicate details. Rebecca DunneShona O'KeefeDylan CallananUltan O'ConchubhairGrainne Nic Gearailt Tutor(s)