An Rinn, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford

The new extension to Meanscoil San Nioclas will provide specialist Classroom and ancillary Staff and Student accommodation to meet the current and projects increase in student numbers. The new accommodation includes a Home Economics Room, Science Classroom, Construction Studies Room and supporting preparation and storage accommodation.

The extension is required to be designed as a standalone block to minimize any disruption to the ‘live’ school building during the construction phase. The extension has been positioned to the rear and side of the existing school building to ensure that existing views from classrooms are not impacted by the development. The accommodation is arranged either side of an east-west circulation corridor, and connects with the existing school via a new ramped glazed linking block.

The scale and massing of the extension is designed as single storey to reflect the existing school building but also to integrate into its exposed site. The external materials are also to extend the current materials of the existing school, with feature zinc cladding to the roof.

A planning requirement stipulated that the proposed new vehicular entrance was to be the only access from the public road fronting the school. This necessitated localised hard and soft landscaping of the concourse / car parking area to the front of the existing school.