In Ireland there is a huge stigma around opening up, together we need to normalize speaking and searching for a helping hand. The re-imagined design for Sligo Gaol offers a new perspective on counselling, making counselling sessions more informal, with visitors enjoying a step by step flow of experiences, soothed by water and the peaceful rhythms of the arches that run throughout the building. The informal flow of experiences and space mean that users/guests are unaware of who is having a counseling session and who is just having a cup of coffee with a friend. This approach allows people to be less afraid to take that step for a chat and for help. But the design does not just offer renewal for its visitors, it breathes new life into the old, with new contemporary arches echoing and celebrating the heritage and forms of the existing gaol building.
