The proposal is about an optimistic space, able to enhance relationships in between kids, but also with teachers and their environments.
In order to achieve this goal the project proposes mainly three strategies:
1- to create spaces where natural daylight and transparent materiality are predominant: this will allow a permanent connection with the sky, the outdoor landscape and its seasonal changes but also a sense of shared experience through the indoor visual connection of the main spaces. These material and constructive decisions look for a building able to work energetically well in a passive way; 2- to enhance imagination and tolerance: The whole school is fostering different historical times and types of spaces coexisting… allowing different sensibilities to be developed. The small existing house at the north side of the plot is now recycled to create a sensorial garden. Other elements able to foster children and adults imagination are the transformation of the old chimneys into skylights and periscopes or the “crown” of the building: a transparent and translucent “palace”; 3- to increase biodiversity and knowledge of our environment. The location of the school in front of the Grand Canal supports the decision about enhancing biodiversity through the building. The construction wants to collaborate in the ecological relation in between organisms and with their environments. The double skin in the west and north facades, in order to achieve this goal, holds a collection of native flower “baskets”. These native flowers conforms the image of the facade and allow enjoying vegetation most of the year. The flowers plants have been chosen also considering their relationship with insects like butterflies, dragonflies and ladybirds- they are able to attract them. And this will have consequences also in the birds’ community of the area.

Author: Mª Auxiliadora Gálvez Pérez

Collaborator: Alejandra Salvador Camarmo

Developer: RIAI

Date: 2015

Status: Concurso

Location: Dublin, Ireland