An Ríocht, a special needs extension to Scoil Chríost Rí boys national school in Caherdavin, has been shortlisted for the PUBLIC CHOICE RIAI ARCHITECTURAL AWARD 2019. The public are being asked to VOTE for their favourite building.
The children moved into the new classrooms over the spring mid-term and the new building will be officially opened next week. Designed by Limerick architectural practice, Drake Hourigan Architects, the new space provides for a two classroom Autism Syndrome Disorder (ASD) suite, with a central activities space and a sensory garden, and a new entrance courtyard and atrium space for the whole school. Ailish Drake describes the design process as a close collaboration with the principal and teachers. She said ‘by including special needs facilities within the mainstream school setting, children develop social skills through participation in educational and social activities, which helps them to fully integrate into mainstream classes.’
Central to the design is an activity space, which is top lit and opens to a sensory garden. All the school are enjoying the flexibility that the new space provides. Pat Millane, the school principal describes how it ‘successfully combines both beauty and functionality of use and is therefore also a very valuable educational space. We are absolutely delighted with the finished product as are the whole school community, parents, pupils and staff.’
Externally and internally there is a playfulness about the use of colour and materials. The street facade is designed with concave and convex curves and built using a a handmade brick and lime mortar and the flemish bond. Conor Hourigan said ‘we had a fantastic design team and contractor. There was such enthusiasm from the crafts people working on the project. The brickwork and joinery internally is of the highest standard.’ Ailish explained how the use of colour was carefully considered ‘through research into autism and colour, we found that tones of blue, green, orange and mauves are relaxing, while stronger tones of grey, yellow, black and red can cause anxiety’
The school principal is delighted with the reaction from the wider community, saying ‘Many local residents both young and old have called in to admire the finished product and I have noted that whilst at its inception people tended to speak in worried and hushed tones about the “new unit” that was being “put into” the school, the narrative has now changed to talk of the new building and how it adds so much to the school’s appearance and facilities’
Voting is open until the 31st of May. You can read a full description of the project at drakehourigan.com
