Transforming reusing and repurposing unused sites and buildings will make Cork City Centre a better place for all of us to live, learn, love, share, create and contribute.
Here we share simple ideas on how to quickly bring 5 long term derelict sites back to life, for public use, while turning Cork City Centre into a destination.
A ‘social innovation food hub’ and the Butter Exchange and Weigh-house, focused on a local foundational economy, tourism and responsible entrepreneurship.
Producing indie ethical design-led goods and services that are sustainable, circular and responsible (Urban Product Design DNA Manifesto). Based on locally grown food and urban food waste, gathered within 15km of the city centre.
The hub will be designed around flexible, modular and adaptable spaces and will include co-creation spaces, start-up incubation, vertical food growing, energy and water harvesting, community kitchen, kitchen tool library, community composter, food art, skills sharing and a waste café.
The space will be spread beyond the walls of the old Butter Market Exchange to include cycle racks, public seating and car sharing. The hub will bring a whole new dimension to the food capital, having at its foundation a City Manifesto for a Local, Circular, Foundational, Sharing and Collaborative Economy.
We believe that the food capital of Ireland can become the sustainable, circular and responsible food capital of Europe.
A city playground[1], a place for all ages to play and express themselves. At its foundation a City Play Charter encouraging equality and diversity through putting free and inclusive fun, games, music, arts and culture at the heart of the city.
The Playground will be a flexible, modular and adaptable space and will include seating, indigenous trees, edible garden section, public toilets, water fountain, cycle racks and public bins all while encouraging biodiversity.
A city santuary and reflextion space filled with art and music that will be flexible, modular and adaptable. It will include seating, indigenous pocket forest, an edible garden with an orchard, opening of existing toilets (with a rooftop garden/energy and water harvesting), a water fountain, cycle racks and public bins.
The public realm will seemlessly connecct with Shandon Bridge, the River Lee and the restored Quays (under a Common Heritage Charter[2]) bringing far wider benefits to the area.
A transformation of 2 historic warehouses to homes above the shops, that support local, foundational, responsible entrepreneurship.
Retailing indie, ethical design-led goods and services that are sustainable, circular and responsible, these spaces will be flexible, modular and adaptable and will include a roof garden and energy and water harvesting.
A cottage that should be handed over to a social housing organisation (e.g. Peter McVerry Trust) to provide a home for someone in need of one.
To rests means having a home. Without a home we would all struggle to contribute in any meaningful way to our environment, wider society or have any real sense of place.
These suggested sites are council owner[3] and give Cork City Council an excellent opportunity to lead by example. They should be redesigned to be fully accessible and adaptable. Repurposing should take a long-term perspective contributing towards a City Climate Neutral Charter. This action should start with open calls[4] or how to best use these spaces for the benefit of Corkonians.
This is not a new call to action. Cork City is incredibly lucky to be home to so many brilliant creatives, activists and artists campaigning for decades for a liveable city. This is NOW an urgent plea, dereliction has got out of hand in recent years and something needs to change.
Our Rest Play Work model is just one way of quickly and cheaply improving the liveability of Cork City, drawing more families to the centre, providing meaningful employment, encouraging investment, all while boosting and strengthening a resilent local economy.
Frank & Jude
October 2020
[1] There are no playgrounds on the centre island, the closest is 20 min. walk from core retail streets.
[2] Based on the Declaration of Amsterdam (1975) and the Venice Charter (1964)
[3] https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/63880827/anois-response-to-cork-city-development-plans
[4] Cork City Council need to provide guidance on sustainable KPis, suitable funding streams, insurance & maintenance agreements etc.
Copyright © by Frank O'Connor & Jude Sherry, Anois.org, 2020
The moral right of the authors have been asserted.
The views and opinions expressed in this report and its content are those of the authors.
