Ardgillan Community College was originally constructed in 2009 as a rapid build school for 350 Junior Cert pupils.
Kennedy FitzGerald Architects LLP was appointed by Dublin & Dun Laoghaire Education & Training Board/Department of Education & Skills as the Design Team Lead and Lead Architectural Consultant in December 2011 to deliver a second phase of the school development, taking the enrolment up to 1000 pupils and to address constructional and environmental issues that had arisen in the initial Rapid School.
The school is located on a shared educational “campus” with a Gaelscoil and an Educate Together, all built by fast–track process since 2009. The new school extension (known as Phase 2 Ardgillan) has a floor area of 8255 sq. m over 3 floors, together with enhanced community facilities, playing fields and all other facilities required for a large secondary school. The complex building incorporates best practice sustainability measures and methods with fast–track construction. The design solution involves providing accommodation which can integrate with the existing school in terms of floor levels and organisation. The enlarged school is entered through a double height glazed entrance area which leads directly to the general purposes/ community ‘heart’ of the school and serves to ‘anchor’ the connection between the existing school; the extended areas; the Special Needs Unit and the Sports Hall/ enhanced Community facilities.
Client
Department of Education and Skills, Ireland
Service Full Architectural Services
Project Value €11.63M
Status Completed May 2015