Book of Kells Experience - The Pavilion

As part of the Old Library Redevelopment Project, a temporary pavilion was erected on New Square to provide exhibition and retail space. The exhibition is now the Book of Kells Experience. The pavilion is two square volumes, the 600m2 exhibition space with a hight of 10m and smaller 300m2 retail and support space. In keeping with the temporary nature of the pavilion the elements are “citroen red”, providing a striking counterpoint to the historic fabric of the campus.

Planning Permission was granted for the pavilion in November 2022 and enabling works started in January 2023. The pavilion structure is erected over the ground source borehole array which provides heating and the hot water to the Rubrics heat pumps. These works included the installation of piling and steel substructure which enabled the new pavilion structure to be erected in May 2023. Fit-out works commenced in July and completed in December 2023.

Sustainability

All the materials used in the Pavilion are reusable. The main structure comprises of aluminium columns and laminated wooden beams, of up to 24m to form the basis of a bolt-together modular assembly, provided by Neptunus a leading supplier of temporary structures. The floor is constructed of a combination of steel beams and insulated wooden floor cassettes with insulated panels making up the walls and roof.

Exhibition

The Book of Kells Experience exhibition installation works commenced in September and the exhibition opened to much excitement on January 3rd 2024, together with the retail space.

Click here for more information on the Book of Kells Experience