The proposal involves the extensive refurbishment of two adjacent textile manufacturing buildings currently not in use, and the demolition of a third disused manufacturing building. The existing structures will be converted to provide educational facilities for a private language school. On the east street frontage of the site, and to the existing exposed elevations, a new surface treatment will rehabilitate the existing buildings, while making extensive use of the existing openings to house new window units. The ground floor will contain reception and canteen areas, a library and staff offices.
The intervention adopts a strategy of separately identified, coloured metal window frames and panels to counterpoint to the haphazard arrangement of existing openings and structures. A large urban courtyard at ground floor level is created for the students, who will be able to perceive their location in the central garden lands of one of Dublin’s most impressive Georgian blocks.