Architect students design a new nursery for a local Dublin inner-city nursery

Lecturer: Patrick Flynn, Johanna Cleary, Amanda Bone, Philip Comerford, Mike Haslam, Ryan Kennihan, Orla O'Callaghan, Johnny Walker

Architect students design a new premise for a local Dublin inner-city nursery  

As their studio project in 2009/10 2nd year students taking the B Arch in Architecture focused on designing a new premise for St Brigid’s Nursery in Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1. The 55 second year students chose different sites in the neighbourhood of St Brigid’s Nursery, including the current St Brigid’s site and worked on a design for a new nursery building. They were given a clear brief by the client and visited St Brigid’s in order to experience the current premise and better understand their future needs.

During and on completion of the design process the students were required to present their work to Nursery staff for appraisal. A formal exhibition and launch of a catalogue of the work is planned for early 2011.

What do the students get from it?

The students get an opportunity to work on a real live design project. They learn to understand the needs of a client who introduces them to a brief and carry out a piece of design according to the client’s specific needs. During the design process the students are encouraged to keep a sketch book to record their ideas and thoughts as the design progresses and as such becoming reflective practitioners. They also have to present their work back to the community partner for critical feedback and use this feedback to better their designs

What does the community get from it?

In the process of explaining the brief for the new building to the students, the community partner had to really consider the pro’s and con’s of the current nursery premise and the best scenario for the new building. Through the feedback process Nursery staff were able to critically evaluate the work to date and make recommendations for improvement. They will also be able to keep the designs as a starting point for future development. 

Community Partner:

St Brigid's Nursery