Our proposal for a new entrance building at the Dundalk Grammar School received planning permission earlier this year. The proposal is for a new two storey building within the curtilage of 4 protected structures and set within an established urban site containing mature trees with preservation orders. The site is important in terms of its historical and social context which add to it’s significance and character.

Design decisions have been made in response to the historical setting and to not negatively impact on the character of the place. The site for the new building is located on a key route through the school grounds and will predominantly be used by staff, visitors, students and deliveries. As such, the building is designed as a threshold and the architectural language or expression is relative to a structure acting as a threshold. The proposed buildings is long and narrow and follows the same footprint as the original store building it replaces.

The existing store buildings were built as lean to structures at the back of a tall brick screen wall on the east side. This screen wall was built around the mid-19^th century. It is proposed to remove the existing contemporary construction including the galvanised lean to roof and the rear concrete blockwork wall leaving the boundary walls in-situ and repairing them where necessary. The new building will be inserted into the existing historic structure, preserving the historic elements of construction.

The proposed new structure has been designed as a high-quality civic building that forms a threshold and aids orientation and enhances the journey through the school grounds.