Active form of protest against urban decay in Cork city taking place over 24 hour period

AN active form of protest against urban decay in Cork city will take place today over a 24-hour period.

People are invited to show their support for the Cork Centre for Architectural Education (CCAE) 24-Hour Dereliction Design Charrette, an overnight design event inviting architecture students to propose an alternate life for a derelict building within the city centre, as an active form of protest against urban decay in Cork city.

The event will include a special guest lecture event open to all at 8pm with Greg Keeffe, an expert in Urban Design and Development with a focus on sustainability and resilience.

Currently, over 700 sites have been recorded as derelict within 2km of the city centre by Frank O Connor and Jude Sherry in the ‘This is Derelict Ireland’ report.

Campaign organisers say dereliction and land hoarding have rendered Cork city centre uninhabitable, from both a lack of affordable housing and public amenities.

The organisers believe Cork city's inhabitants deserve access to information in a language in which they can freely engage, and they feel drawing has unparalleled power as it envisages a city that is inclusive and promotes the holistic well-being of its inhabitants.

The protest will involve each student producing an A3 portrait proposal for the renovation and reimagination of a site currently derelict within the city centre with the hopes of producing a publication that collates all the work carried out by students during the 24-hour period with a view to public circulation.

The organisers are not expecting any student complete the full 24 hours, but organisers feel students working away in a building that remains open will be a powerful symbol of the school's responsibility to the community. They also feel that it will be a very poignant event bringing together students and staff to enact change.

Through hand drawing and 3d visualisations, the campaign organisers will aim to show the public the opportunities for the community, housing, and commerce that lie dormant in Cork city's derelict buildings. They hope the campaign will highlight the huge issues and aid the discussions already being had by organisations like Anois and Derelict Ireland.

The campaigners feel the people of Cork city deserve to reimagine their city as somewhere liveable, accessible, and beautiful.

The event will be held over a 24-hour period from 9am to 9am on Wednesday, November 9 to Thursday, November 10.