Rínn Rua Surf School
The Challenge
The project involved the ambitious redevelopment of a 22.6-hectare site at Reenroe, Co. Kerry, a hidden gem with immense untapped potential. Once a thriving holiday destination, the site had long been dormant, dominated by a derelict hotel building. The core challenge was to reimagine this stunning coastal location, creating a vibrant, integrated tourism and leisure destination.
A core challenge was to achieve our client's ambitious vision while navigating significant environmental sensitivities. The site lies within a designated visually sensitive area and is in close proximity to Special Areas of Conservation, requiring a meticulous approach to planning and design. Our experience as planning permission architects was crucial in developing a masterplan that protects scenic views and creates new features of local biodiversity value. The design promotes connectivity to local beaches and the EuroVelo 1 cycleway, fostering active lifestyles and integrating the development with its surroundings.
Our Process
Our design process was deeply influenced by the dramatic coastline and the unique geology of the Iveragh peninsula. We embraced a philosophy of Transformative Collaboration with the landscape itself. The orientation of the new Surf School and Café buildings was directly inspired by the layers and strata of the local Old Red Sandstone, embedding the architecture within its context.
We used simple, pitched-roof building forms common to the area, arranging them to create useful and sheltered outdoor spaces that prioritize views and access to the sea. For the building exteriors, we specified black charred timber cladding—a robust, low-maintenance material that provides a sacrificial defence against the harsh coastal environment. The masterplan strategy focuses on enhancing the natural environment by reinstating historic patchwork field patterns with native hedgerows and drystone walls.
Outcome & Impact
The result is a comprehensive masterplan for a sustainable and vibrant holiday village that preserves and enhances its natural setting. The development will create an integrated leisure park featuring a redeveloped hotel, self-catering apartments, holiday homes, glamping pods, a surf school and café, and a host of other amenities.
This project will have a significant Sustainable Impact, transforming a derelict site into a major tourism asset for the region. By protecting scenic views, creating features of local biodiversity value, and promoting connectivity to local beaches and the EuroVelo 1 cycleway, the design fosters active lifestyles and delivers a contemporary architectural response that feels entirely appropriate to the Irish landscape.
