Keelrod

Design Fellows: Mitch Conlon & McAllister-Colacio
Co-Investigator: Dr Patrick Dunlop

Challenge

The Keelrod project explores alternative sustainable energy systems that are appropriately scaled for island contexts. Inspired by the DIY ethos of kite energy models, it aims to make climate-resilient practices visible and tangible through creative collaboration and locally grounded design.

Approach

Keelrod brings together collaborators across architecture, visual art, engineering, and sailing. Centring conviviality, horizontality, and place-based creativity, the project was rooted in mutual learning and relational methods that reflect the culture and character of island life.

Outcomes

Residents and visiting artists were invited to explore and research collaboratively through embodied practices such as stone wall building, fishing, and sailing. Together, they identified potential sites for a future energy system. A public kite-making workshop during the Rathlin Sound Festival drew further community interest. The project will culminate in the fabrication of a prototype design developed in collaboration with artist-engineer Paddy Bloomer.

Learnings

Implementing a small-scale, efficient, and nomadic energy system takes significant time and resources, while DIY approaches can offer more accessible, though less robust, alternatives. By working with resident artists, the project highlights how Rathlin can offer a successful model for thoughtful, socially engaged cultural practice, strengthening its role in Northern Ireland’s creative landscape.

Impact

Through the cross-pollination of invited creative designers and resident artists, the project supports the emergence of alternative cultural practices that sit alongside Rathlin’s distinctive existing creativity. Creative programming helps build the conditions for innovation to take root, while collaboration fosters the exchange of heritage, vital for embedding new ideas in place-based contexts.