In 2013 an architect with his students designed an architectural installation for

the island of Inishturk in Ireland, 9 miles off the coast of County Mayo. The project was
surrounded by 6000 year old Celtic ruins. It was built to celebrate the remaining six clans,
those who were gone and those who were to come home. The design studio explored
the connection between culture, landscape, and the unique history of its inhabitants.
The overall design intention was “Bringing back meaning into modern architecture of the
21st century.” In an astonishing nine days, the students with local people built a
memorial on this remote island. The Tale of the Tongs was built to draw insight into the
emerging cultural landscape of modern architecture. So successful was it, that it
won a won best municipal project of the year for all Ireland. More importantly, it won
the hearts of all those on the island.

TALE OF THE TONGS

“The tongs of the fire place is a deeply rooted Mayo tale. When a destitute soul was
forced to leave during the famine on a coffin boat to America or to an English coal
mine, they would place a coal from their fire into the fireplace of parents, sisters,
brothers, or friends. More importantly they would leave their own tongs beside their
loved ones fires in hopes that one day, should they be able, they might return to take
their tongs with a lit coal from their loved ones fires back to rekindle the fires of their
lost homes. “
INISHTURK ISLAND - COUNTY MAYO , EIRE – IRELAND - THE GATHERING - 2013
This project was designed and built by students as a design - build expedition with
undergraduate and graduate architecture students in an elective course for one semester.
Each year a project is designed in the spring semester and built in 9 days on site at a remote
location celebrating the mythology and culture of an extraordinary land. This year was the
Gathering in Ireland.

Metaphorical Model

Architectural Model
4 Seasons a Day !
 Whispering flames revealing our
Held breaths, yearning anew.
Rekindling the crisp aroma
Echoing burning’s embrace ……

Whispering flames revealing our held breaths,

yearning anew.
Rekindling the crisp aroma of
Echoes' burning embrace……