Classach Traditional Arts Centre was developed as a regional centre for the promotion of the traditional arts in collaboration with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.

The centre servces to promote Irish music, song, dance, drama and other art forms associated with Ireland's rich cultural heritage. It provides facilities for performance and teaching, rehearsal, recreation and research.

The centre consists of two distinct forms; The angular theatre and the geometric ancillary building. The main space of the 320 seat theatre is designed as 4 rotating, stepped segments to make it a more informal and dynamic space and allow sub-division for smaller performances The theatre is externally clad with silver aluminium panels with double height windows and cedar cladding in the joints between the segments.

As one passes by the centre on the Alfie Byrne Road the glazed and cedar clad joints of the segments sequentially reveal themselves and are then concealed by the protective fin walls of silver aluminium cladding. The segments are capped by distinctive overhanging angular roofs.

A semi-sunken bar and dancing room form the base of the theatre building expressed externally in grey render. The geometric ancillary wing accommodates offices and archive, classrooms, dressing rooms, recording studio, kitchen and WCs. The main entrance is at the junction with the theatre building. This long rectilinear wing acts as a buffer between the theatre and the railway track behind.

The materials reflect a juxtaposition between modern and more natural materials; the modern sliver aluminium and grey render with the more natural iroko windows and cedar cladding and granite cladding. This theme is carried to the interior with oak and stone tiled floors contrasting with white plaster walls and glass and stainless steel balustrades.

A semi-sunken amphitheatre for informal outdoor performance is the focus of the outdoor space. There is also a large roof terrace on the second floor.

Architect