Two faculty members, Lisa Mullikin, associate professor of interior architecture, and Kevin Stevens, lecturer in the School of Architecture, were recently awarded third place in an international design competition in Ireland.
The contest challenged designers to envision a renovation and extension of the famous Connolly’s of Leap, an Irish music venue near the southern tip of Ireland. With three generations of owners, the historic venue has championed live music since 1810. For more than 200 years, it’s been an icon of the international music scene, hosting thousands of world-famous artists as well as cult music talent.
Mullikin and Stevens’s design, titled “Rooted|Rootless,” focuses the design of the music venue around a central tree, called the Mother Tree, which is known for supporting life and passing wisdom. The design includes a series of gardens and ramps to bring visitors from the existing waterfall, ravine and surrounding neighborhood. Complete with a full, floating, faceted canopy, their design aims to honor the relationship between the music, place and people who visit this iconic venue.