RIAI | Irish Architecture Awards

Citation

Western (over €300,000)

A deceptively simple plan, a restricted palette of materials used in a sophisticated manner, an understanding of internal and external space and the relationship between them all, combine together to produce a warm, bright building with a rare feeling of community.

Architects Comments
The Education Centre is located on the site of the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, School of Art.

The Education Centre is one of a number built throughout the country and following a competition held by the Department of Education & Science. They provide ongoing training for the local education community and a forum to meet and discuss ideas out of the school environment.

The building is designed around a circular lawn containing a single walnut tree. A curved glass window with black slate table addresses the lawn at ground floor level at which people can sit and dine on eight oak benches.

There is a large lecture theatre and adjoining library to the east with a suite of smaller rooms along the south. A gallery on the first floor includes six research desks.

The building is finished in painted plaster. Windows are in hardwood with green copper surrounds to some windows. A single garden wall to the east extends towards the entrance of the School of Art in a gesture of goodwill.

Client Comments
The newly built Galway Education Centre has been eagerly awaited for over two decades, and we are happy to say that the end produce has lived up to our expectations. The proportions of the building and the low clean curved lines give the campus a spacious uncluttered aura. The exterior of the building offers many interesting vistas.

Aesthetically, the building is a joy to inhabit, sweeping curves, high walls and ceilings and large windows give lots of natural light and air. The extensive use of wood and stone throughout are particularly pleasing. The design of theatre, library and other rooms lend themselves to easy adaptation for a variety of diverse uses. The room layout ensures maximum usage by the clientele of the centre, offering many workstations and reading /research areas. The kitchen layout allows us to cater for large groups in a very efficient and effective manner.

The overall impression the Centre gives it contemporary, healthy, bright, adaptable and user friendly. Feedback from staff, tutors and course participants has been very positive. As a group of teachers, we are very happy to be associated with a building, which gives dignity to the profession.