A primary school extension constructed in Mayo has won a slot in the prestigious architectural publication 1000 x European Architecture, which is an important reference book for the construction sector published only once every five years.
The extension to Dhú Thúama NS completed in 2010, was selected as one of only six projects from Ireland to appear in the book. The extension was designed by Castlebar practice Studio Plus Two Architects, whose client was the board of management of the school.
John Ruane of StudioPlusTwo Architects stated: “We were delighted to have been selected for inclusion in the publication. This is the second edition of the book, and presents 1,000 architectural projects which were built all across Europe in the past five years. Other projects published from Ireland include the Aviva Stadium and the Grand Canal Dock Theatre in Dublin, so it really is fantastic to have been able to put Mayo on the map.”
The project had a fast-track construction period, and had to be completed to an extremely tight budget. This, allied to the need to ensure sufficient natural light in existing classrooms behind the extension, led the architects to specify large areas of glazing combined with translucent polycarbonate sheeting to form the external walls. “The polycarbonate material is very high spec – nothing like the thin sheets used to build greenhouses in the eighties,” said John Ruane. “It allows a good deal of natural light to pass through to the classrooms while also offering a degree of privacy. A great deal of credit in this case is due to the board of management for approving an innovative design solution.
“The project shows that even in the current economic climate you can still build something both practical and of high aesthetic quality. Architects often have the reputation of adding expense to a project. I see our role rather as adding value, and as maximising a project’s potential by making the best use of the available budget and space through careful design. The fact that our project is one of the smallest in the book, I feel, reinforces our view that quality is not necessarily related to size or cost. ”
The extension was built by local contractor James Mangan. 1000 x European Architecture is available to view in Mayo County Library.
StudioPlusTwo Architects is run by John Ruane and Masa Ruane-Bratusa, and has been based in Castlebar since 2006. Further information at www.studioplustwo.com
