Cork’s Crawford Art Gallery aims ever upwards: last extension was rounded, this one is a bit more vertical

Gallery aims high just as 300th anniversary beckons

An artist's impression of the Crawford Art Gallery extension from Emmet Place. Picture: Grafton Architects

THIS week’s long-awaited planning application for extension, conservation, and upgrades to Cork city’s Crawford Art Gallery sees the now-national institute continue a trend of reinventing itself every century – and comes just 25 years after its last significant extension.

The ambitious new plan for a tight city centre site by Grafton Architects reaches upwards, to as much a 32 metres and six storeys on a small footprint section on Half Moon Street by offices occupied by Apple - if approved by planners.