From airport to town : a study of planning and urban design strategies in Shannon

The town of Shannon has been an important town throughout the 20th century in Ireland, due to the pre-planned development of the airport and the associated creation of a significant numbers of jobs in the south west of Ireland. There has been widespread interest in the developments that have taken place in Shannon and continue to this day.This paper will examine the development of Shannon Town from an architecture and urban design point of view, focusing on the planning and urban design strategies that have been implemented. This is the first major study of this kind and it combines the knowledge of a former resident of the town, coupled with the analytical skills of a Master of Architecture and Urban Design student. The first part will be research based, discussing and examining previous proposals, putting each in a national context, both political and economic, in order to give a better understanding of why and how they transpired. Subsequently, the study explores how these proposals may have resulted in certain flaws as well as identifying current problems. The primary focus will be on the earliest plans from 1962 and 1972, in comparison with more recent proposals from the early 2000s. This study identifies six main problems that are present today. The second part of is this paper is a concept proposal for a new town plan as a response to these defined existing issues. The core concept is to create an overall unity in the town and to improve the quality of life of the town’s residents.