POL GALLAGHER, lecturer in interior design and architecture at the University of East London (UEL), has won an international competition with Airbnb worth around $100,000 to design a housing pod in Co. Donegal.
The $100,000 OMG! Fund was organised by Airbnb, the online accommodation website. The company invited entries from architects and designers to present their plans for creating dynamic and creative homes in their chosen locations.
Pol’s winning entry was entitled Caislean Oir — ‘the gold castle’, and a reference to a local Donegal folklore story.
Pol’s drawings and designs encompass his vision to design a retreat in Donegal that would have all the drama of a treehouse, while also being accessible to guests in wheelchairs.This all-inclusive design aims to keep the architectural drama and magic of staying in a treehouse without ever feeling too contrived.
"This design is important because often people with physical disabilities are ostracised or made to experience ‘quirky experiences’ with the aid of very clinical and institutional looking support apparatus," said Pol. "I feel this ‘apparatus-washing’ of inconsiderate design detracts from the experiences on an emotional and immersive level. Good design should make inclusivity invisible for all — so that is the objective here," he continued.
The steel origami folded structure spectacularly opens like a flower to allow the bedroom pod to rise inside – offering stunning views of the ocean and landscape beyond.
The pod comes with its own jacuzzi hot tub adjacent.
Pol will now begin work on the pod with his own company ZAP Architecture, based in Stratford, London.
"It feels incredible to win this as we often put so much effort into design competitions and you sometimes never feature given the amount of quality entries," said Pol.
"This is a culmination of many design ideas taken from previously failed competitions which I prove to me that nothing is wasted; previous ideas get kept in a mental locker for their next outing. The next step is to organise a team to build this. There are many moving robotic parts, so we need to engage with specialists in this discipline.
"This quirky Airbnb pod will bring visitors to my and rural village in Ireland. . . .This project is about a reconnection with nature from an ambitious architectural intervention," he concluded.
