O'Leary Sludds Architects -Autism Spectrum Disorder Facility, St. Brigid’s NS Carlow

Autism Spectrum Disorder Facility, St. Brigid’s NS Carlow

A Preschool Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) facility completed in 2016, for which O’Leary Sludds Architects was the Consultant Architect, the Design Team Lead and Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP).

The brief for the facility included a central activity area and the key to the design was using this area as the connection piece between the existing school and new extension. The central activity area doubles as the school’s general purpose room and, therefore encourages integration and reverse integration between the students. 

Covered external area off mainstream classroom of pre-school autistic spectrum disorder facility with fully enclosed play area with yellow and orange toys on green astro turf.
Main central activity area with duck egg blue double doors and large and small blue, red and pink exercise balls on timber effect acoustic vinyl flooring.
Soft play area in multi-sensory room with blue padded walls and brightly colours building blocks with green snake.
Pre-school classroom with green chairs and circular timber veneer tables on a light blue vinyl floor.

As important as integration is the student’s ability to take time out and this is facilitated through the safe rooms off the classrooms, the multi-sensory room and the fully enclosed external play area. 

The ASD unit was a single storey two classroom extension of approx. 500 sq.m. in gross floor area. The building method was traditional cavity blockwork construction with infill insulation. The internal walls of the facility were plastered, the radiators recessed and the light fittings appropriate for the end user’s needs.

Fully enclosed external play area with external covered area and blue and green floor covering.
Multi-sensory room with multi coloured wall padding, led lighting, projector and pink coloured lava lamp with wall mirrors in the background.
Mainstream classroom with pink accent wall and bespoke teachers desk with red chairs and circular white tables on grey acoustic flooring with white perforated acoustic metal ceiling.
Student work station showing yellow, red, blue, green and purple circles with name badge and ruler.

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