Martin Valley Sculpture Park and Arts Centre, in collaboration with ARUP Associates

This is a competition entry for the Martin Valley Sculpture Park and Arts Centre on the ever-flooding River Martin in Ireland. A level plane making a ‘quay’ and ‘pier’ at maximum flood level were created to support the flood-safe zone for the arts centre overlooking the seasonally flooding valley. Floating sculpture pods within the flood zone would support the sculpture works that would appear like unattainable islands during flood season. The result would be a building that evokes the expansive landscape presences of traditional vertical stone house and the horizontal bawn, or farm plain enclosure, while occasionally appearing to float calmly above the deluge.