Westport Civic Offices

This was our entry into the RIAI International Design Competition for new civic offices at Westport which attracted 97 entrants and was one of 5 shortlisted schemes.

The site lies to the rear of the buildings which front the octagon. Its detachment from the vibrant bustle of the existing fabric is reinforced by the circuitous access. To rectify this and give the new offices a direct presence onto the Octagon, the new building takes the form of two linear blocks connected by an internal covered street. This ‘street’ is a continuation of movement from the Octagon into the refurbished and revitalised Wyatt Theatre, winding through inner courtyards and passages, stepping down to the new offices where views of the open parkland beyond are glimpsed and grasped through glazed gables.

The blocks are kinked to maximise the view and to increase the dramatic interface between the internal and external spaces, where activities can range from children’s theatre, to lunchtime recitals, to full orchestra performances. The vitality of the spaces is continued inside the offices, where movement takes place at different levels around the central street. The ancient and democratic circular form of the council chamber, clad in timber and raised on pilotis, presides over the town park