London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Sep 12, 2025

An Off-Grid Artist’s Retreat Pops Up on an Island Near Ireland

An Off-Grid Artist’s Retreat Pops Up on an Island Near Ireland

Dubbed Studio Drop, the tiny green cabin offers refuge for creatives seeking isolation.

On a small island off the west coast of Galway, Ireland, sits one of the latest projects completed by designer Jordan Ralph. The simple, cylindrical cabin-known as Studio Drop-was created for a program commissioned by the European Capital of Culture to provide off-grid studios for creatives.



Perched cliffside on the island of Inis Oírr-the smallest of the Aran Islands-the tiny one-room retreat launched on June 21-the summer solstice-and it will offer residencies for artists through August 2021.

"The core concept for Studio Drop was to design and create a deployable piece of microarchitecture that would land on Inis Oírr and serve as a space for artists to participate in residencies for a week or two in relative isolation," Ralph said in a previous interview.



While designing the structure, Ralph sought inspiration from common sights along Ireland’s coastal landscape-including martello towers, beehive huts, and lighthouses. He even reworked his design to incorporate traditional craft techniques after meeting with nearby boatbuilders and craftsmen. "We wanted to design an original piece that felt both contemporary and simultaneously indigenous to the land and people of Inis Oírr."



The cabin's small, cylindrical form is also designed to accommodate harsh weather conditions. According to Ralph, "cylindrical forms are ideal for the gale-force storms that frequent the Irish west coastline, and force the wind to break around them rather than push them over."



The seaweed-green exterior is outfitted with vertical larch planks. The minimalist interior is spare save for a wraparound bench and a picture window overlooking the sea. "The window allows a gentle light into the space, which really gives the resident artist a sense of connection to the time of day and weather outside." The space also features a hammock-style daybed, created from salvaged trawler net, and an outdoor cooking and seating area.



The project is part of the Drop Everything for Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture initiative, which was extended into 2021 due to COVID-19. "Visual artists, writers, illustrators, musicians, and photographers are all invited to participate in week-long residences on the island," states Drop Everything founder Mary Nally. "The hope is that the rest-and-work space, powered by nature, can easily up and move to different locations."


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Court Staff Cover Up Banksy Image of Judge Beating a Protester
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
Elon Musk Poised to Become First Trillionaire Under Ambitious Tesla Pay Plan
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
Burning the Minister’s House Helped Protesters to Win Justice: Prabowo Fires Finance Minister in Wake of Indonesia Protests
Brazil Braces for Fallout from Bolsonaro Trial by corrupted judge
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
Nearly 40 Years Later: Nike Changes the Legendary Slogan Just Do It
Generations Born After 1939 Unlikely to Reach Age One Hundred, New Study Finds
End to a four-year manhunt in New Zealand: the father who abducted his children to the forests was killed, the three siblings were found
Germany Suspends Debt Rules, Funnels €500 Billion Toward Military and Proxy War Strategy
EU Prepares for War
BMW Eyes Growth in China with New All‑Electric Neue Klasse Lineup
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
US Justice Department Launches Criminal Mortgage-Fraud Probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Escalating Drug Trafficking and Violence in Latin America: A Growing Crisis
×