Architecture winners have plans for schools of the future

The shape of things to come in school design has been unveiled with the selection of winners in an architectural competition for future primary provision.

Gilroy McMahon Architects came top of the class from 54 Irish and international entries in the contest to come up with innovative places of learning, for the students of day and tomorrow. The brief was to design a 16-classroom school with additional accommodation for pupils with special educational needs.

The Gilroy McMahon plan for a two-storey school features a dedicated special -needs wing, with two classrooms opening onto play areas and a sensory garden, as well as a multi-sensory room and para-education facilities.

The circulation areas are designed to facilitate collaborative learning, such as show-and-tell, with a display and performance atrium also featured. The design includes a general purpose hall that would open onto an outdoor theatre or arena space, for a range of uses such as cinema, sports, charity events, dance or prize-giving.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn said he was very pleased with the standard of entries, which include 13 from Australia, Denmark, Italy and Portugal.

The designs may be used in the building of primary schools in future, along with issues and feedback from yesterday’s conference at Dublin Castle, where the winners were announced.

The Dublin architecture firm took the top prize of €10,000, with Wicklow designer Kim Dreyer and Coady Partnership Architects from Dublin each winning €2,000 for their second and third-placed entries, respectively.

Three other Dublin firms and Britain’s Avanti Architects were awarded €1,000.