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Montessori House, Beaumont

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Date: October 2009- Present

Projected Construction Period: 8 Weeks

Budget: Less than €50,000 excluding VAT

Brief:

The client approached DKAD with an unusual mixed brief. They required an extension which would provide additional living space and which could also be used as a Montessori classroom for up to 8 pupils. The clients did not plan to commence this alternative use for several years, but hoped that the space would be sufficient to meet the main requirements for certification as a childcare space, without substantial additional building works.

The house had an ideal south facing garden; the chosen design makes use of the natural light coming from different directions into the space, to provide a range of experiences in the classroom at different times of day. The site was to be given a wide vehicular entrance as shown in the design model, and this issue is still subject to planning. A key tenet of the design was the requirement to have a sustainable balance between the working life of the building, during the day, and it’s role as a family home at all other times. The design allows for both uses to have access to the garden, and for the classroom to have a suitable entrance to the side, so that the house remained entirely private. The layout of the classroom is based on other newly built Montessori  spaces, and includes a fully accessible toilet, secure play area, and safe set- down area. The improvements to the living space included a new kitchen and dining room, a new heating system, and a small utility space.


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