The project was procured on a PPP basis with John Sisk & Son carrying out the Design & Build functions for the PPP Company for the Department of Education and Skills at a value of €52m.
Final completion was achieved eight weeks ahead of the scheduled 104-week construction period.
Located on the banks of the River Lee, the new 5-storey CIT Cork School of Music provides a bespoke academic facility in a unique city centre setting. The 12,000m2 state-of-the-art School provides 52 music studios, a 450 seat rehearsal hall, theatre space, music library, live recording suite, dance studios, staff boardrooms and administrative spaces, flat floor classrooms including digital and audio labs and raked lecture theatres.
The main rehearsal hall, although a simple rectangular box, has great acoustic and performance flexibility. Primarily a student training space it also allows for multiple configurations through hydraulic stage, moveable ceiling and pivoting wall panelling. To achieve the rigorous acoustic performance criteria many of the spaces utilise ‘box within box’ construction with floating floors and ceilings, splayed walls and services isolated from the primary structure.
The heart of the building is the public concourse connecting the teaching, performance and administrative spaces. The performance areas and tuition studios can accommodate 56 Steinway pianos.
