This project involved a small but important intervention to improve pedestrian access and safety at St Mary’s Rugby Club in Dublin.

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The existing entrance to the club grounds had historically been designed primarily around vehicular access. During busy periods, particularly on match days and weekend mornings when junior rugby activities are taking place, the shared entrance created potential conflicts between vehicles and the large numbers of players, families and spectators arriving on foot.

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The brief was to develop a simple architectural solution that would provide a safer and more clearly defined pedestrian route into the club grounds while working within the constraints of the existing entrance and sporting facilities.

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A new dedicated pedestrian entrance gate was designed and commissioned, creating a secondary point of access alongside the existing vehicular entrance. From here, a new pedestrian footpath was introduced behind the playing pitches, allowing people to move safely through the grounds while remaining separated from vehicle movements.

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The design of the new gate was carefully considered as part of the club's existing entrance, providing a robust and practical intervention appropriate to the character and everyday use of a busy rugby facility.

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The completed project allows pedestrians and vehicles to safely coexist at the entrance while significantly improving circulation through the grounds. Although modest in scale, the intervention provides an important improvement to the day-to-day operation of the club, particularly during match days, training sessions and busy periods associated with junior rugby.

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The project demonstrates how carefully considered architectural interventions can improve safety, accessibility and circulation within existing sports and community facilities without requiring extensive alterations to the wider site.