St Patrick’s Primary School

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A primary school of the early 1950s consisting of 4 blocks, 2 and single storey, linked by glazed corridors, modular construction, flat roofs, formerly 3 schools of infants, boys and girls with shared assembly hall.

Infants block – part 2 storey and single storey. The 2 storey part has 4 classrooms on ground floor and 2 at 1st floor with roof terrace and pergola between. The ancillary accommodation is in a single flat roof rear portion with long spine corridor. Walls are faced with precast pebble washed slabs interlocking and approximately 1200 x 450mm fixed without bond. The pebbles approximately 25/40mm size are rounded and sat in white mortar. The panels are used throughout the school except on the gable walls which are faced with iron stained schist stonework (Claudy stone) built random fashion and echoing the stonework of the Swiss Pavilion in Paris designed by Le Corbusier (1887-1965) in 1924-5. Windows are steel painted with lower opening casements and top-hung vents. Windows of classrooms are grouped together as continuous glazing and surrounded on head, sides and cills with projecting concrete. The window plane is thus on the same plane as the finished wall surface. Windows are modular at approximately 1200mm centres with 5 no. panes to each module. Windows are single glazed though at planning stage it was intended they should be double glazed. Ground floor classrooms have large windows on S E side with high level strip windows opposite giving cross ventilation. The 2 first floor classrooms have large windows on both sides. Door and screens are also in metal.

The roof terrace has paving slabs on asphalt while the other flat roofs are finished is 3 ply mineral felt. The roofs overhang approximately 500mm. The stone gables or ‘book ends’ extend beyond the plane of the long walls to allow the flat roof overhangs to abut against them, thus giving a good sense of modelling. Likewise the centre ground floor classrooms break forward to enhance the modelling. Copings to parapet wall to roof terrace are precast concrete and the lightweight extensive pergola is of aluminium. Where there are individual windows particularly to the ancillary accommodation these also have concrete surrounds. Circular dome roof lights provide day light to the spine corridor which has doors at either end. There are also doors at the 2 staircases to give easy access to outdoors and paved external teaching areas.

A flat roofed glazed connecting corridor runs from the ancillary accommodation to the next block which is in the girls school. The corridor is of concrete flat roofs weather proofed with 3 play mineral felt and fully glazed each side with metal windows which rest on upstand kerbs. As there are changes of level the connecting corridors are stepped. The roofs are supported on independent slim steel columns and in some cases these are incorporated into the windows.

Girls and boys blocks. These are practically identical except in the internal detail of the toilet facilities. The blocks differ slightly from the infants block layout. The ancillary accommodation is separated from the classrooms by a series of small rectangular concrete paved courts with short dividing corridors. The ground floor classrooms thus have full glazing on both sides. The staircases contained within classroom block and the corridor is incorporated in the single storey ancillary part. Otherwise the external expression is similar to the infants block. However all the blocks are staggered in the site layout so that one does not overlook the other. The courts have planted beds.

Assembly Hall block. The assembly block again has the same external expression but gable stone walls are omitted. The hall is of greater height and is faced entirely with precast concrete slabs. As the corridor runs along the SE side the principal glazing to the hall faces NW and overlooks an outdoor play area. There is high level glazing in the SE. The roof is flat with similar overhang. This block contains a large entrance hall and glazed corridors link it to the other blocks and the school meals accommodation. Under the hall at the stage end is the boiler house with external steps at the NW corner.

The school has a long rectangular site with a small portion at the SE corner giving access to the Collon Lane. All the blocks face SE and the staggered layout of the blocks adds great interest to the arrangement providing a sequence of outdoor spaces particularly on the SE. The main entrance is from the Collon Lane at its junction with the Racecourse Road and a service access further along the lane. The staggered layout resolves the different levels on a sloping site which is from NW to SE. The site is surround by mixed housing and there is pedestrian access to these.

Unfortunately because of the expansion in this neighbourhood (Shantallow area) the school accommodation has been augmented by extensive temporary classrooms which overcrowds the site and spoils the outdoor facilities and visual qualities.

Historical information

There had been a proposal to erect a primary school in this area to replace the former Shantallow National School. J.P. McGrath had been appointed and he died in September 1948. Messrs Corr & McCormick was then appointed and the school designed with a very different approach, though J.P. McGrath has been architect for the rather pleasing courtyard school layout done in Chapel Road in 1912. The sketch designs were submitted to the Dept. of Education in late 1949 and were more or less accepted as designed. The design was largely based on school design on the continent particularly in Switzerland but also on late 1930s work in England particularly that of Stillman and Walter Gropins.

The school was opened in 1954. Orlit was the general contractor. This project was the first major project of the architectural firm of Corr & McCormick which commenced practice in September 1948.

References

Primary Sources
1. Files – Messrs Corr & McCormick
Secondary Sources
2. A Rowan – North West Ulster p391 (brief reference)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
E. Spatial Organisation
F. Structural System
I. Quality and survival of Interior

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

St Patrick’s Primary School is a fine example of early post war school design taking account of developments in thinking of the late 1930s and late 1940s. Great emphasis was placed on orientation, ample daylight, good internal ambience and good outdoor facilities. Pennyburn School well exemplifies these aspects and is a fine contribution to school design. It displays good architectonic qualities and a lively use of materials externally and internally.

( The proposed listing included the 3 teaching blocks and ssembly hall block.The setting includes all the outdoor spaces of the site. However the decision to list was negated by the decision of the N. Ireland Dept. of Education to replace the school. Demolition was under way by mid. 2002. )