Coláiste Naomh Éinne, Inis Mór, Aran Islands
Coláiste Naomh Éinne, Inis Mór, Aran Islands.
This project provides an art room for a small secondary school on Inis Mór, the largest of the Aran Islands. The building of 100 sq.m is located on a limestone outcrop above the port village of Kilronan. It was made using traditional methods, materials, and local labour. The building starts with the same language as the original school and previous extensions, however it separates itself from them. It is placed at the end of an existing basketball court. It activates a neglected space at the back of the school to create a welcoming courtyard. Externally, the long north wall is sized to accommodate two regulation handball courts, while internally, it is for hanging artwork. The south wall has a long window with views of the ocean and the mainland. Central to the scheme is the sheltered seating area. The shelter is intended as a place to socialise and observe art been made. It is a place to sit and sketch or paint. This new art room is also meant for the people of the island and visitors, to hold summer courses, night classes, and exhibitions.
Photos by Ros Kavanagh.
