Joseph Walsh, a celebrated designer best known for his unstructured furniture and sculptures displayed in global museums, has recently accomplished an audacious new structure, ‘The Stone Vessel,’ on his family’s ancestral lands in Fartha, near Kinsale, in County Cork. Walsh, in partnership with architectural firm O’Donnell+Tuomey with whom he has a collaboration history spanning over a decade, has materialised this project using solid corbelled stone – a method reminiscent of the construction techniques used in prehistoric burial sites and ancient Irish places of worship. The venture symbolises a first in Irish architecture in a millennium.
Walsh’s latest endeavour, which he conveys as his most audacious yet, not only continues the evolution of contemporary building techniques but also establishes the Fartha fields as a hotspot for noteworthy collaborations and a centre of superior quality.
Walsh’s achievement instigates from the yearly ‘Making In’ seminars he conducts every September that unites prolific creative minds worldwide. These seminars spurred the idea of having a physical testament emanating from these forums.
In collaboration with O’Donnell+Tuomey, Walsh conceptualised a set of buildings known as ‘Rambling Houses’, each interpreting traditional manufacturing methods utilising local Irish materials and craftsmanship. This led to the decision to construct one building each year for three years, with The Stone Vessel being the most recent, and the preceding ‘Passage House,’ an experimental architecture created from thatch, wood, and stone, completed last year.
Ian Scannell, a local builder adept at restoring farm structures, quarried the stone for this ambitious project from the site itself, reflecting the commitment to local resources and craftsmanship.
Recently finalised, pavilion number two, christened “the Stone Vessel”, is a multi-faced construct, softened at its edges and acutely angled with a directional alignment from east to west. John Tuomey states, “We had the ambition to utilise ancient technology to put a modern concept to trial, pushing the boundaries of traditional methods to discover something innovative.” He describes it as a sanctuary-like meeting space ingrained within this firm structure; the aim was to chisel out a gentler interior, a cavernous enclosure designed for sound.
The stonemasons, familiar with working on the Passage House, welcomed the project instantaneously, given their regular duties primarily involve restorations. In the words of Walsh, “this was about engagement, initiating dialogue with those practising the craft. We relied on their expertise to bring this vision to life”.
Walsh led a tour of the interior structure, showcasing the intricately designed oil lamp pins and beaten copper cups crafted by local blacksmith, Mark Keeling, for candle-holding purposes.
“The perception is that it’s quite extravagantly designed, yet the reality is a compact space. The internal shapes bear no resemblance to those on the outside. The goal behind this is to inspire individuals to take action and build a deeper respect and knowledge of our architectural heritage. As the project progressed, John and I came to understand the sheer magnitude of our undertaking,” says Walsh.
Notably, this was no minor endeavour. News of the project stirred interest and attracted 21 masons from across global locations such as Donegal, Sligo, Athlone, Tipperary, Cork, the UK and Japan, including a female mason from Brittany.
Initiated in March of the previous year, it necessitated the masons to labour for six days weekly, taking a lengthy span of nine months to conclude the project.
More intriguing was the contrasting construction methods deployed. The Irish utilised hammer and chisels, while the Japanese master craftsman, Professor Hiroyuki Tsujii of Kanazawa University, demonstrated at the construction site the Japanese techniques, involving manual boulder manipulation.
The rhythmic sound of hammers and chisels echoed around the site throughout the summer season.
Tuomey elaborates on the unique building process adopted by them. According to him, constructing even a small building requires architects to sketch their vision in pencil to ensure all stones are placed correctly. Each stone is meticulously measured against a string that runs from the apex of the scaffolding to the soil. In terms of conceptualising, they draw inspiration from the idea of bringing something ‘brand new ancient’ into existence, as coined by Kate Tempest.
Walsh shares, the motivation behind building was a drive to learn by doing. Throughout the process, they had multiple discoveries and evolved their understanding of construction.
The increasing utilisation of stone as a construction material over conventional options like brick, concrete and glass is gaining traction. Notably, there are new stone buildings coming up across London, Geneva, and Palma. The government is also using it in affordable housing schemes. They believe that stone is a wonderful material to work with and should be used more often. Nevertheless, their unique structures are not intended to be blueprints for future constructions. Instead, these are more experimental, hands-on explorations of what is achievable but undervalued.
On the Rambling Houses project, two buildings have been completed, the third, a sunken hedge theatre, is underway. The concept was born from Walsh’s observation of the space created post excavation. This theatre, with its undulating circular shape, will double as a venue for performances and a public gathering spot.
His studio is celebrating its 25th year, and in April, a film from a documentary series by renowned Irish filmmaker Pat Collins will debut at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in Paris. The summer will see the opening of a new gallery at Fartha, displaying a range of historical and current works.
Later in the year, during Paris Design Week and Paris+ par Art Basel and Design Miami Paris, a cultural exhibition focused on the functioning of Walsh’s studio will be held at the Centre Culturel Irlandais where Walsh will reveal three large outdoor bronze and ash sculptures and a unique exhibition in collaboration with ceramic artist Sara Flynn. Concurrently, there will be a Making In seminar on September 7th with the theme Circle.