Contribution to an ideas competition hosted by the department of education for a post primary school in Kingswood, Tallaght.

Urban and site context:

The site is flanked by predominantly two-storey residential estates and is itself effectively split into two parts by a dividing watercourse with existing woodland vegetation. The higher site at the corner of Ballymount Road and Kingswood Avenue faces one of only two access roads into the Kingswood suburb. It has a more prominent setting with 2 road frontages and provides better traffic access with good direct sightlines. The lower site is enclosed by residential and the primary school and provides only a small section of road frontage with limited sight lines.

 The main design idea is to propose a connecting band of development from the higher to the lower site. While the prime focal point on the higher site will be the proposed school building, the band connects the new school with the existing school. Sports facilities are situated between both schools and can be used by both. 

Future developments like a library / pool etc. at the lower end of the band will act as a counterpoint to the new school and will, over time, reinforce the ”growing together” of the 2 school sites.