La Touche Car Park
Feasibility Study
What if Greystones’ forgotten railway turntable became a vibrant coastal square - where heritage, community life and active travel meet?
What if…
Client
Wicklow County Council
Location
Greystones
Dates
2025-26
Value
€12,500
The La Touche Car Park Feasibility Study was undertaken to reimagine the former railway turntable site as a distinctive public space that reconnects Greystones with its coastal and railway heritage. The project responded to an underused but strategically located site beside the promenade, station and town centre, transforming it from a surface car park into a civic destination with renewed identity and purpose. The proposals placed strong emphasis on heritage interpretation, accessibility, and everyday usability, balancing placemaking with the operational needs of the adjoining railway lands.
Reimagining an underused car park as a landmark public space rooted in Greystones’ railway story.
The design process was informed by detailed site analysis, including parking demand, movement patterns, level changes, access constraints and the surviving significance of the historic turntable and sea walls. The final concept was structured around a flexible public plaza centred on the reinterpreted turntable, expressed through paving, seating and railway track features.
Supporting elements included a small kiosk pavilion, improved pedestrian links, cycle facilities and an active travel hub. Robust coastal materials, integrated planting and carefully considered lighting were proposed to create a durable and welcoming space capable of hosting daily activity, seasonal events and long-term regeneration.
A key long-term element of the vision was a lightweight roof structure over the historic turntable, creating a recognisable civic landmark and sheltered gathering space inspired by the circular motion and engineering language of the original railway feature. Beneath the canopy, curved amphitheatre-style seating would transform the turntable into a flexible venue for performances, talks, community events and seasonal activity, while also providing an attractive everyday place to sit, meet and enjoy views towards the sea. The pavilion was conceived to celebrate Greystones’ railway heritage while adding a distinctive new public space to the town.
