Archivo

St Mary’s Church Museum grows out of the character of the original church- without seeking to resolve the enigma of age. The church was taken ‘as found’. A hole in the ceiling was left in situ, revealing roof timberwork. A wall separating the Monument Room was cut down. The floor was renewed in Kilkenny limestone with glass sections to display archaeology. The interior was a careful calculation of color & material. New work built on the historical consciousness of the place. Archaeology was used as a generator of ideas. To add necessary space, low walls of demolished areas were used as foundations for new extensions, reconstructing the North aisle & chancel to the original plan but a different materiality in lead- used for its weight, density & color; it had affinities with stone, varied when wet & in sunlight, but had a malleable quality, an intensity of detail unlike original masonry. The new elements restore the spatial complexity of the original building & release a dynamic series of fixed & moving views through windows, screens & arches.