During the spring lockdown of 2020 we were appointed by Green Skibbereen to work with them to consider how they might occupy Myross Wood House, near Leap, in West Cork, Ireland as a centre for community action on climate change. They are a recently formed group of individuals committed to grass roots activities that help the local community, businesses and organisations shift to low and zero carbon footprints. To help achieve these aims they are in the process of inhabiting a former Catholic retreat centre which will become a base for educational events, exhibitions, training and a broader range of activities relating to wellness and the environment. The process of re-inhabiting the building will become a demonstrative and hands-on pedagogical process as it is gradually re-used, retrofitted and upgraded.
Green Skibbereen
Myross Wood House, Leap, West Cork, Ireland
We worked with them to develop the scope and nature of these activities and explore both how they might occupy the building and the opportunities the building presents to them. The result of this process was not a fixed masterplan or final layout for the building but a collection of actions which might be carried out over the short, medium and long term. We envisage these actions changing through the life of the group and their residency at Myross. New actions might be added as other opportunities are identified or grant funding obtained, whilst others might prove unviable to remain unimplemented. Action by action Myross Wood House will evolve into the centre for community action they envisage.
A Framework for Action: Green Skibbereen at Myross Wood House is a summary of our collaboration with Green Skibbereen which has been submitted as evidence and research to the RIBA COP26 conference. (9.6MB)
Read the full report here (22MB)
Client: Green Skibbereen
