Breaths of fresh air for post-Covid-19 era in country's first 'School of the Future' in Clonakilty

Emphasis on ventilation, good quality air and movement, extra spacing and light in €10.5m Cork school makeover to new 'School of the Future' design, first drafted in 2014 and only now being delivered

Clonakilty Community College becomes ‘School of the Future’: Cork ETB have unveiled the €10.5 million state-of-the-art extension at West Cork school,  designed by KOBW Architects and built by local firm Cahalane Brothers.

AS schools return on a phased basis in the current Covid-19 lockdown restrictions easing, there’s a series of new topics on the classroom curriculum: ventilation, the benefits of fresh air, and adaptable outdoor spaces.

And the arrival of new school buildings such as Clonakilty Community College’s €10.5m extension and upgrade — which is the country’s first completed ‘School of the Future’ delivered under Department of Education and Skills frameworks drawn up in 2014 — shows a way forward.