Cliff Rescue Centre - PAC StudioPAC Studio

Copper Coast Cliff Rescue

Our proposals for the Cliff Rescue teams on the copper coastline along the south of Ireland responds directly to the landscape, the climate and the community of volunteers. The Cliff Rescue Service require a permanent base for their assorted vehicles, equipment and training facilities, along with a communications hub to coordinate live rescue operations and shower facilities for volunteers after operations. These varying accommodation needs are arranged in a series of nested layers – the ambient temperature for the garage and storage areas are enclosed by a light polycarbonate skin around the timber framed superstructure, whilst internal volumes of insulated timber boxes enclose the warmer operations room and shower areas. The overall structure forms a wedge in both plan and section, with lower, tilting short edges facing south and west as an aerofoil to the prevailing winds from the Atlantic. The long edge with the entrance and garage doors is thus sheltered and raised to accommodate the various rescue vehicles. The overall form is set into the landscape to further protect against the wind, using gabion baskets of local stone to form screen and retaining walls around the cliff top site. At night, the project acts as a lantern on the horizon.