.png)
The new Technology, Science and Innovation building has been designed to form a newbuilding edge to the campus along Kilcock Road with a striking four storey block with a roofline that rises signalling your approach to the campus and town. The building sits proudly at the intersection of the new super crossing which enables safe pedestrian crossing between the north and south campus. A generous public space is created outside the main entrance, space for students and the community to gather and collaborate.
The building provides 10,500sqm of teaching, learning and academic workplace. The teaching spaces deliver high quality teaching environments, enabling new modes of teaching for the University. The latest development of Maynooth’s north campus will help it meet the needs of its growing student population. The number of students has reached 15,000 this year, up from 4,000 when Maynooth was established as an independent institution in 1997.
The concept for the design evolved through the development of a masterplan approach to the lands and existing buildings adjacent to the Kilcock road. The opportunity to link existing buildings and the prime location along Kilcock road to give new public face and to raise the profile of Maynooth University was identified and exploited from the outset.
The façade has been designed to accommodate a plant area at roof level concealed behind a raking parapet wall, giving the impression of a taller building, and giving the building a presence at the interface with University Avenue as a counterpoint to the library opposite.
The main entrance has been located at the interface of geometries associated with the linear four-storey block and the lecture theatres and has been expressed with a double height loggia space which opens this corner to the public realm associated with the proposed ‘super crossing’ and University Avenue.
The three lecture theatres, which by their nature require column-free spans, have been deliberately located outside of the main building block allowing for a simple concrete frame for the main block and steel frame for the theatres. This also allows for a degree of flexibility in locating the theatres relative to one another and to the main block. The lecture theatres have been designed to be accessible from ground and first floor and are located above ground (with no requirement for deep basement excavations).
Offices are located on the upper floors with open plan typically to the South edge and cellular to the North. The depth of the block (15-16m) will enable a predominantly naturally ventilated building. The generous double height entrance foyer acts as a collaboration space for the large building population. This space will be used for pop ups and community events, creating a much-needed focal point in the University and wider community.
The proposed development creates a new sheltered landscaped courtyard to the north and enclosed by the Science Building, all linked with a double height enclosed cloister that offers light and prospect from within.
One of the key challenges in delivering any building in a university setting is ensuring no disruptions to campus life. In order to de-risk the project and ensure smooth delivery an initial enabling works project was carried out which delivered road realignment ensuring the campus traffic could freely flow during the main building works.
Inline with Maynooth’s green campus and sustainability approach, the TSI building is heated by air source heat pumps and has green roofs, a solar PV array and rainwater harvesting. The building is BREEAM and EXCEED certified.
