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Gablescape: Montaging Ballycastle’s Architectural Landscape and Industrial Heritage

Part 1 Project 2024
Hannah April McMath
Queen's University Belfast | UK
Gablescape is an exemplary design project for a state-of-the-art technical material research centre in Ballycastle, Northern Ireland. It masterfully fuses tradition and innovation, drawing inspiration from iconic forms along the journey from the town centre to the coast. Every entrance, corner, and space reflect the town's architectural and industrial heritage, paying homage to the local landscape and history.

The iterative design process used layers of trace paper to create rich spatial sequences and unique geometries, resulting in dynamic, organically integrated environments.

Addressing the climate emergency, Gablescape incorporates sustainable strategies like maximizing natural ventilation, reducing solar gain, enhancing thermal mass, and optimizing acoustics. Reusing materials from the historic Body Manor House minimizes embodied carbon, while the on-site chimney, repurposed as a ventilation point, is complemented by wind towers. Whitewashed monolithic brick walls provide excellent thermal mass, and the trusses offer structural shading and aesthetic appeal.

Gablescape is a beacon of sustainable design and architectural excellence, seamlessly integrating heritage with modernity and demonstrating how architecture can honour history while paving the way for a sustainable future.


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2024
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