Seamus Nolan- Hotel Ballymun

(Images from http://www.hotelballymun.com/room_detail.php?rn=r9)

Installation Summary

'Hotel Ballymun' was a project done in 2007 by artist Seamus Nolan. The project was formed around an abandoned tower block due for demolition. The entire top floor of the tower block was transformed into a hotel where guests could stay and admire views of Dublin. The entire hotel consisted of nine bedrooms, a conference room, a disco room, garden room and common room. In addition to this, each room was furnished by artist's who took items left over from ex-residents to create something new and useable with them.

My Thoughts

I find this project very interesting and inspiring. First of all, I am attracted to the idea of transforming an abandoned space into something useful, in this case something homely. The idea of something old (the furniture and the building) being reused and reworked is a concept which appeals to me greatly. The contrast between the before and after images shown above is intriguing. It fascinates me that prior to this, people didn't want to stay in the tower block or even live there eventually, yet as soon as this project sprang up the hotel was fully booked. I believe this comes down to aesthetic and social backgrounds. I imagine the typical residents of the hotel would not normally be the type to live in this area or this building.

The concept, to me is very influential. Although my work is almost exclusively outdoors, I aim to transform an area which isn't pretty or isn't desired into somewhere which can become a home-like place to somebody. Similar to Nolan, my work aims to make a space seem habitable and homely in comparison to it's previous look. 

people dont want to live there but now want to stay there