St Patrick’s College, Dublin, Ireland

New campus to inspire Ireland’s future primary school teachers
UK-based international architectural practice RMJM, working in collaboration with Irish practice Taylor Architects are to create four new buildings for St Patrick’s College in Dublin. The college, part of Dublin City University, has announced a £40million development plan for its north Dublin campus. The project will also include the refurbishment of existing facilities, a new campus link and extensive landscaping of the college’s historic grounds. Established in 1875, St Patrick’s College sits on an 11 hectare site and educates over 2,000 of Ireland’s primary school teachers each year.

Plans to modernize the campus have been submitted by RMJM/Taylor Architects on behalf of the college. The plans aim to create an environment for academic excellence featuring state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities, new sports and childcare services. Innovative landscaping of the grounds are planned to create unique outdoor learning and social spaces as the college aspires to become Ireland’s foremost education facility in its sector.

The new East buildings will accommodate a 200 person lecture theatre, innovative teaching spaces such as reading pods and a learning café. RMJM worked to marry an historic site with the needs of a modern education institution using new methods of teaching and learning. Such considerations resulted in features that include the incorporation of a historic lime tree avenue to the north part of the campus sympathetic to the heritage and look of the campus.

Work is planned to start on site in August 2009 and is estimated for completion in August 2011.
source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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