DCU – ALPHA

MOLA Architecture partnered with The King’s Hospital, a Church of Ireland coeducational independent day and boarding school in Palmerstown, Dublin, to imagine the future of the school and its lands.

Our masterplan repositions the campus as a place where learning, living and community thrive together. STEM facilities are integrated seamlessly into the academic core, while circulation and wayfinding are reimagined to make the school more connected, intuitive and student focused.

At the heart of the plan is a bold yet simple idea, clear separation of uses, united by shared experience. Departments are clustered to support collaboration, while a reimagined communal spine, “the Gallery”, becomes the social and architectural anchor. This central corridor links the reception hall to a new multifunctional Town Hall, encouraging informal interaction, gathering and celebration. Open to the outdoors and framing views of the landscape, the Gallery dissolves the boundaries between inside and out, learning and living.

Phase one, the refurbishment of the Boarding Accommodation, was completed in 2019, delivering contemporary and comfortable living spaces that support student wellbeing. Further proposals include enhanced sports facilities and new amenity areas, continuing the school’s journey of growth and transformation.