Griffith College Interior Architecture Students Design for Deansrath Family Centre and Visit LIFESIZE Plans Leinster
In collaboration with the Deansrath Family Centre, Griffith College interior architecture students have started an exciting new project that will benefit the community while providing them with invaluable practical experience. The students' assignment, which fits with Griffith College's commitment to experiential learning and significant community participation, is to design the interior architecture of the impending new facility for the Deansrath Family Centre.
A Collaborative Design Project with Real-World Impact
Students met with important team members, such as Aoife O'Toole-King, Early Years Coordinator, and Siobhan Feehan, Centre Manager, during the project's first site visit to the Deansrath Family Centre on September 25th, 2024. Students learnt about the Centre’s history and its crucial role in helping local families by offering early intervention and preventive services during this visit. Even though the Centre has grown significantly over the last 20 years, its capacity to accommodate growing demand is currently limited by space restrictions.
The new facility, located in Clondalkin's St. Cuthbert's Park, is intended to address these issues. The 500-square-meter structure will consolidate the Centre's services, which are currently spread out over multiple locations, facilitating families' access to critical support in one convenient location.
Hands-On Learning and Innovative Design Experience
As part of the design process, Griffith College students visited LIFESIZE Plans Leinster on October 16th , 2024. This unique experience enabled them to walk through full-scale floor plans of the new Centre, enhancing their spatial awareness and allowing them to better visualise their design concepts. The partnership between Griffith College and Deansrath Family Centre offers students the opportunity to apply their interior architecture skills to a live project with tangible community benefits.
Fostering Practical Skills and Social Responsibility
Students at Griffith College can work on a project that benefits the community and improves their education, thanks to this partnership. In keeping with the Deansrath Family Centre's objective to assist local families, their design solutions will be tailored to the centre's unique requirements. Through this hands-on experience, students gain more than just technical skills. They learn the importance of creating spaces that serve real-world needs.
Looking Ahead: A Meaningful Contribution to the Local Community
The students will continue to collaborate in groups as the project progresses, creating creative interior design solutions that suit the various needs of the Deansrath Family Centre and its patrons. This collaboration is a prime example of Griffith College's dedication to fusing social responsibility with practical education, enabling students to become involved members of the community and competent professionals.
In conclusion, the Griffith College-Deansrath Family Centre project significantly benefits the Clondalkin community and provides students with a worthwhile educational experience. Thanks to the new facility, the centre will be able to continue its essential mission of strengthening local families and will offer much-needed space for support, education, and connection.
Learn more about Griffith College’s Interior Architecture programme and how you can gain hands-on experience through impactful community projects.