This is a half-day workshop, best suited for adults, where participants will work in collaboration with architects, artists and designers to assemble a prototype drawbridge, conceived and designed as a temporary solution to the problem of access at the threshold of Kunstverein Aughrim. A series of stone and concrete steps make the entrance impossible to traverse on wheels. This temporary drawbridge is proposed to highlight and generate discussion on a town-wide accessibility issue, by way of facilitating temporary ramped entry without necessitating major renovation, and within the existing structure of the building.

As part of the workshop, Kunstverein Aughrim and Howff will present their learning following a year-long project titled Suppose a Stone. This project was developed in collaboration with Aughrim Tidy Towns CLG and Aughrim Active Retirement Group, as an all-ages, interspecies accessibility audit of the town of Aughrim, supported by the Irish Architecture Foundation’s Reimagine Hometown Architect initiative. Through Suppose a Stone we carried out town surveys, produced activity maps, commissioned a sensory walk with choreographer Aoife McAtamney, undertook a walkability study with Age Friendly Ireland, and devised this drawbridge workshop, all in an effort to identify, understand, investigate and navigate issues around accessibility.

Suppose a Stone was a 2023/24 collaboration between Aughrim Tidy Towns CLG, Aughrim Active Retirement Group, Kunstverein Aughrim and Howff Architects, supported by the Irish Architecture Foundation’s Reimagine Hometown Architect initiative.

The Drawbridge Workshop on Friday 20 September is a free but ticketed event, advance booking for workshop participation is essential.

Schedule:
2pm assemble at Kunstverein Aughrim
2:15pm welcome
2:30pm introduction and short presentation
3pm refreshments
3:30pm build, assembly, installation, demonstration
5pm conclusion

Access:
Kunstverein Aughrim is located off Main Street in the village of Aughrim. There is limited on-street parking around the town. Kunstverein Aughrim is unfortunately not currently wheelchair accessible, due to a series of stone and concrete steps at the threshold (which this workshop hopes to address). First Batch is a cafe nearby (open until 4pm) with wheelchair accessible toilets. If you have questions or specific access requirements please contact us via email to office@kunstverein.ie and we will do our best to facilitate your full participation.

Biographies:
Howff is a Dublin and Wicklow based architecture and design studio. The practice spans multiple typologies including residential, cultural, educational and temporary installations. The studio has a strong design focus, and seeks to produce architecture that positively transforms the experiences of its users and the wider community. Howff’s projects are characterised by a sensitive approach to materials and intuitive understanding of construction and detail. Howff value collaboration, with a process that is both precise and exploratory, underpinned by research and technical expertise.

Kunstverein Aughrim is a curatorial production office for contemporary art projects, located on the ground floor of a townhouse in the village of Aughrim, County Wicklow. It is Ireland's first art initiative based on the European model of a kunstverein (from the German word kunst meaning ‘art’ and verein meaning ‘club’ or ‘association’) and is part of the franchise established by Kunstverein in Amsterdam, with sisters in Milan, New York and Toronto. The mission of Kunstverein Aughrim is to develop curatorial collaborations with artists to support the artistic process of creating new work, and to bring audiences as close to the creative process as possible.

Kunstverein Aughrim is supported by The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon and Wicklow County Council. This Drawbridge Workshop is produced by Kunstverein Aughrim in collaboration with the Howff, supported by the Irish Architecutre Foundation, Wicklow Arts Office, Wicklow County Council and The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon, as part of Culture Night 2024.