Collaborative Design and Build Heritage Project for Lusk’s New Social Space

A stone bench on display during Heritage week 2026 at Lusk Community Cultural Centre is the result of a heritage-focused collaborative design project. The project was given the title “commoning” and funded by the Arts Council and Create.

During the month of April, Lusk Community Council and two architectural graduates, Jamie and Irene, led collaborative design sessions to create a small social space for Lusk. While the project didn’t allude directly to the town’s heritage at first, it quickly became a central part of the design and material choice given our shared interest.

Over the summer 2026 a portion of the design or “prototype” was built by Jamie, Irene, friends and locals, using materials and techniques that are traditional to Ireland. We reclaimed stone from old buildings that had been taken down on site and used lime mortar to join them. The humble bench, disarmingly uncomplicated, reflects the value that our team placed on the built heritage around us, as well as the heritage skills that produced it and the importance of keeping these alive.

On Saturday, 15 August at 12:15pm Jamie and Irene will give a talk about the collaborative nature of the project and it’s heritage value. Collaborative projects in architecture seek to give people the decision-making power over what happens in the communal and public spaces of their towns. In this spirit, the values, design, and materials of the project have all been influenced by those who have participated in the process.

The display and talk form a key part of Lusk Heritage Festival 2026, centred around tours of the iconic Lusk Celtic Round Tower, Norman Belfry and hand bell casting. Full details available from Lusk Community Council Facebook page.

Car parking available in the Cottage Community Centre, Church Road, Lusk K45 VE83.