Balla, Ireland

Urban-rural renovation & public space revitalization

Transforming a historic Irish town into a model for sustainable rural regeneration through community-led design and digital innovation.

Type

Urban-rural renovation / neighborhood

Population

> 900 citizens

Heritage

3 key historic assets targeted: Market Square, Round Tower, Courthouse

Context & challenges

Balla is a small yet historically significant town located along the N60 road in County Mayo. Despite its rich heritage, the town faces modern urban challenges that hinder its full potential.

Traffic congestion

The town faces heavy traffic with approximately 9,000 vehicles passing through daily, creating noise and safety issues.

Building inefficiency

A significant portion of the building stock suffers from vacancy or energy inefficiency.

Car dependency

Limited public realm space and infrastructure force a reliance on private vehicles, disconnecting housing estates from the town center.

BLUEPRINT aims to address these issues by combining the Town Centre First policy with innovative digital tools to create a climate-resilient and inclusive environment.

Planned interventions

The project will deploy participatory processes and digital simulations to achieve five key objectives:

🏗️ Renovation of vacant buildings: repurposing unused structures for mixed-use purposes (residential and commercial) by engaging the community in the design process through digital workshops.

⛲ Reactivation of Market Square: transforming the central square into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly community hub. Visualization tools will help align the redesign with accessibility and sustainability goals.

🚲 Active mobility network: developing safe walking and cycling connections to integrate housing estates with the town center. AR/VR tools will be used to co-design routes with residents.

🏛️ Heritage asset revitalization: digitally documenting and simulating energy-efficient upgrades for historic landmarks, such as the round tower and courthouse, while preserving their architectural integrity.

🌱 Rural town regeneration model: demonstrating a replicable model for rural revitalization under the “Town Centre First” policy, focusing on public space upgrades and energy-efficient infrastructure.