house architecture . design . garden . advice ten terrific architect-designed homes across ireland eCo-ADVICe: going green without the blues How to be a model client and make your architect fly GRoWING GAINS: the latest garden trends Spring /Summer 2009 The magazine for architect-designed houses and interiors in Ireland house Welcome to the Digital version of HOUSE - the magazine for architect- designed houses and interiors in Ireland. Quality information at the click of a mouse! To express interest in receiving the PDF version of Architecture Ireland simply email: [email protected]
Transcript
housearchitecture . design . garden . advice
ten terrificarchitect-designed
homes across irelandeCo-ADVICe:
going green without the blues
How to be a model client and make your architect fl y
GRoWING GAINS: the latest garden trends
Spring/Summer2009
The magazine for architect-designed houses and interiors in Ireland
houseWelcometotheDigitalversionofHOUSE-themagazineforarchitect-designedhousesandinteriorsinIreland.Quality information at the click of a mouse!
See the fabulous new LEICHT kitchen now on display at Bushell Interiors
www.leicht.com
LEICHT kitchen with gloss laminate doors and laminate worktop, with plenty of storage. The kitchen comprises of a SIEMENS induction hob, a doubleoven, a steam oven and a dishwasher, a LIEBHERR larder Fridge, and a FALMEC extractor hood. The stainless steel sink is from SUTER. Prices for thiskitchen and similar options start from €15,950 plus VAT, fitting included.
Double oven and Steam ovenwith storage below, with f/I larderfridge.
Hidden storage space in blind-corner carousel unit.
Corner base unit with tworevolving carousel shelves.
Large pot drawers and cutlerydrawers below induction hob.
€15,950 + VAT
BUSHELL AD6 30/06/2009 13:09 Page 1
Contents3 Comment
5 Use a quailified architect
7 Designers on the web
9 Working with an architect interview with architect Sterrin O’Shea
12 Living in style HOMES
17 A shore sanctuary Anenergy-efficienthousebesidetheseaby
People can sometimesbedauntedbythe ideaofworkingwithanarchitect, feelingthatperhapsthedesignerwillspeakalanguagetheydon’tunderstandorthattheservicewill
costalotofmoney.Inthisissuewespeaktoarchitectsabouthowtherelationshipbetweenclient and architect works, what the design process involves and how you can employ anarchitectinawaythatsuitsyouandyourbudget.
Our homes section then shows just what can be achieved by using an architect, fromtransformingstandard,somewhatdark traditionalhomeswithbright,newextensionsorbybuildinganewhousethattakesnoteofthesurroundinglandscape,thelocalweatherandthepeoplewhowillliveinit.Designsrangefromahouseonstilts,onewithaswimmingpoolonthegroundfloor,anextensioncoatedinredtilesandahomewitharoofinspiredbyahoveringbirdofprey.
It may seem incredible but until recentlegislationwas passed itwas possible foranyonetocallthemselvesarchitectsevenif
theyhadnevertakenacourseinthesubject.Thosewho do train as an architect typicallyspend five years at college as well as timeworkinginarchitects’offices,trainingonthejob.
While in reality it was unlikely that yourlocalbutcherorbakerwoulddoubleupasanarchitect in their spare time, hypotheticallythey could have done (although they mayhave found it difficult to get insurance fortheirbuildingprojects).Inrealityitwaspeopleassociatedwithareasofbuildinganddesignwhosetupas ‘architects’– and somewerevery competent but the situation did leaveclients open to the possibility of employingsomeone who was not properly trained tocarryoutthework.
Now,forthefirsttime,architectsinIrelandmust also be registered and conform tostandards set out in Irish legislation (whichalso meet with European and internationalstandards).
This means that clients can now becertain that people using the title ‘architect’
have met this standard and must adhereto the Professional Code of Conduct, carryprofessionalindemnityinsurance,andupdatetheirknowledgebytakingaprescribedamountofeducationcourseseachyear.
The building process is becomingmore complicated with (thankfully) higherstandardsbeingrequiredbylaw.Withclientsrequiring more sustainable buildings andwithincreasedtechnologiesandmorediversedesign solutions available, it is importantthat the professional overseeing a buildingprojectiscompetent.Also,ifsomethingdoesgowrongclientscanturntotheRIAIforhelpthroughitsestablishedprocesses.
An architect can project manage yourbuildingfromstarttofinishinacomplextaskinvolvingmanypartiesand thecoordinationof a diverse range of services. Architectsdesign the structure, apply for planningpermission,goouttotender,administerthebuildingcontractandprovidetheclientwithall necessary documentation for compliancewithbuildingregulationsandplanning.That’swhyitisimportantthattheyhavetherelevanttraining.Theprimaryfunctionofregistrationis to provide you, the client, with certaintyand protection. For more informationcontact the Registration Body, the RoyalInstituteoftheArchitectsofIreland(RIAI)onT:(01)6761703orwww.riai.ie
Anew pay-as-you-go architectural service hasbeen set up by the architectural arm of DuffTisdall, who also run furniture shops and are
interior design specialists. Architects across Irelandarefinding, intheseeconomicallynervoustimes,thathomeownerssometimesopttojustuseanarchitectforcertainphasesofabuildratherthanthewholeproject(seeprevious feature) and thenewservice addressesthis.
“Nowthatthemarkethaschanged,wearetryingtopitch the profession in amore user-friendly way andtakeapay-as-you-goapproach tohomearchitecture,”saysGregTisdall,ofStudioDArchitects,runbyhimselfwithArthurDuffandBorisdeSwart.Informationontheservicecanbe foundonwww.homearchitect.ie,whichwillhaveanetworkofarchitectscrossIrelandprovidingdesignadvice.
“We are tailoring the architectural service tohomeowners, includingpeoplewhodon’tknowmuchaboutarchitecture,don’tknowwhatanarchitectdoesorwhofinditdifficulttoengagewitharchitects,”saysTisdall.
A key part of the pay-as-you-go service involvesa home visit, which costs €500 for four hours and€800 for sevenhours (timesdependson the sizeoftheproject),duringwhichthearchitectwilldiscusstheclient’swishes,takemeasurementsofthepropertyandsketchoutaplanofthehome.Thearchitectwillthendrawupinitialdesignsketches.
Clientscanusetheseorkeepthemfora laterdate– and perhaps opt for further architectural services,supplied on a pay-by-the-hour basis or along moretraditional fee lines (typically a percentage of the jobcost,seepreviousarticle).“Whenwespoketopeople
“People are looking at reinventing their homesandspace,”saysArthurDuff. “While in thepast theymay have decided to move, now they are evaluatingwhattheyhaveintermsofspaceandhowtheirhomefunctions.Theyareasking‘howcanwerevisitourhomeasaworkingandlivingenvironment?’”
Other services provided by Home Architect caninclude progressing the sketch drawings into designdrawings, doing a measured survey of a home andperhaps a land survey. If the building work needsplanningpermission,thearchitectcanalsodoplanningapplication drawings and, later, detailed constructiondrawings,describingthebuildingwork,materialsandfinishes indetail, forabuilder to follow.Thearchitectcanalsoseethebuildingthroughonsite,makingsurethatitisbuiltproperly.
Tips and adviceCheck out our useful tipsand advice on embarkingon a home improvementproject.
Whether you are lookingto create an extension,convert your loft or re-configure your internalspace, homearchitect.iecan help guide you step-by-step through theprocess.
Cost calculatorThis tool helpshomeowners to estimatethe approximate budgetfor building work.
It is important to knowthe proposed floor area ofthe new extension andalso the floor area ofassociated renovationworks together with otherworks in the remainder ofthe house.
Distillery Court537 North Circular RoadDublin 1, Ireland
planning application is lodged.Thetimeisusuallydictatedbythecomplexity of the job but also theclient’sspeedatmakingdecisions.Planning applications aresubmittedat theendofstage twoandincludedrawingsatascaleof1:100,togetherwiththearchitect’sreport (whichmay include photosofneighbouringpropertiestoshowsiteconditionsand/orexamplesofprecedent), the site notice (whichiserectedonsite)andanewspaperadvert.
Stagethreeisdetaildesignwhen,assuming a positive responsefrom the planning authority andtheclient’s instructiontoproceed,planningdrawingsarebroughtupto scale 1:50 and every aspect isexplored inmore detail. Drawingswillshowwhatpartoftheexistingstructure will be demolished,what is planned at each level, themechanicalandelectricalplanandbathroom and kitchen layouts.These drawings are used for thebuilderstopricefromandwilllaterbecomeconstructiondrawings.
Preparingtenderdocumentationcantakeuptothreemonthsduringwhich time I will be liaising withthe quantity surveyor, structuralengineer,sometimesamechanicalengineer, conservation architect(if it is a protected structure),potential sub-contractors for thelikes of window systems, kitchensand fitted furniture. I incorporateall of this information into thetender drawings and prepare adetailed specification which willincludeeverythingfromthetypeoftap in the kitchen to the paint onthe walls. This document is thenissuedwiththetenderdrawingstothe selected builders for pricing.During this stage there are a
Thefinalstageoftheprocessisthe construction. An architect willevaluatetendersfromthebuilderswiththequantitysurveyortoensuretherearenoerrors/omissionsandthenadvisetheclientonthechoiceof builder, taking into accountissues such as price, relevantexperienceandavailability.
Thecliententersintoacontractwith the main contractor. It isthe architect’s job to act as anindependent agent or advisor andtocheckthatthebuilderisfulfillingthe terms of the contract. Duringthe construction process thearchitectproblem-solvesandkeepstheclientinformed.
Ialwaysadvisetheclientthattheyshould not instruct the contractordirectly as this may lead to extracostsanddelayslateron.
We usually have a sitemeetingevery fortnight with the maincontractorbutwouldalsobeonthephone regularly. Towards the end,Imightbeonsitetwiceaweekasthis is usually when all trades areon siteworkingunder pressure inan effort to complete the projecton time. The recession hasmade
peoplemuchmorecost-conscious.Theywanttomaximisetheexistingspace in their home and remodelrather than extend. They can nowtakeadvantageofthefactthatthisisacheapertimetobuildandthereare more builders available. I amfocusingoncost-effectivesolutionsandsustainabledesigns.
It is certainlymore challengingbut it also forces you to bemorecreative, for instance, with thechoiceofmaterials.
I think architects should beselling quality of life. People whowant work done on their homesare doing it because theywant toimprovetheirlifeorareundergoinglife changes such as havingchildren, rather than wanting toprofitfromit.
Anarchitectcanbringenormousvaluetoevenasmall remodellingproject. It is important to realisethat ifanarchitect isnot involvedduringtheconstructionstage,theclientisnotgoingtogetthesameproductattheend.Thereisariskthatitcantakelongerandbemoreexpensive in the long run. Mostpeopleareonlygoingtodoitoncesoit’scriticaltogetitright.www.sosa.ieH
Architects will typicallywork through four stageswith a client: initial design,
developeddesign,detaildesignandconstruction. At the initial designstage I havemy firstmeetingwiththeclient,usuallyintheirhomeandamalwayshappyiftheyarefamiliarwithmywork.
Architectsalwaysrememberthata client is trusting themwith theirmoney and because it will be arelationshipthatcanlastuptotwoyears,it’scriticaltogetagoodsenseof whether you can work togetherduringthismeeting.
Weestablishtheirbrieforwishlist,what kind of accommodation theywant and so on. We also discuss
Icomeupwithideas,wediscussthescopeofserviceandassociatedfees – and whether they want metobe involved inall fourstagesoftheprocess.Currentlysomeclientsonlywantanarchitectforalimitedservice, for instance, up to stagetwoorthree.
The client will be given an RIAI(Royal Institueof theArchitects ofIreland)ClientArchitectAgreementand also the RIAI cost guidelineswhich set out approximate buildcosts per square metre. Thesedocumentsalsohelpformulatethearchitect’s fee which ranges from12-18%ofthebuildcostforthefullRIAIservice.
As construction costs are downat themoment feesaredown too.
We also discuss planning issuesandthe feasibilityofwhat theclientistryingtoachieve.Ithentakesomekeydimensionstogetsomeideaofscale. Later on a full measurementsurveyiscarriedout.
IfIamappointedIgoandprepareasketchdesign.Twoorthreedesignproposals will be presented in theform of plans or layouts. Then,dependingonthescaleofthejob,Imightusemodelsor3Ddrawings.
Stagetwo(thedevelopeddesign)involves agreeing a final design,adjusting the budget and fees ifrequired, and drawing up a projectprogramme.
Incorporated into the design areplanningorbuildingregulationissues,for example Part L (Conservationof Fuel and Energy) which, amongother things, dictates the insulationrequirementswhich impacts on thethicknessofwallsandroofs.
It can take up to three monthsto design a scheme before the
Left and above: AnextentionbySterrinO’SheaArchitects
Workingwithanarchitect
house 98 house interview
Colours from Dulux, about€25for2.5litres.www.dulux.ie
Patchwork banner L’lle Des Lanternes, The Boatmen, both€64ametre.Forstockistsseewww.zoffany.com
Max BenjaminTheOlioscentedcandlemadefromnaturalsoywaxandlead-freewick,€18,forstockists(whichincludeBrownThomasandArnotts)ortobuyonlineseewww.maxbenjamin.ie
Cappuccino all-weather range in durable steel, setoftableandchairs€149fromMarksandSpencer
DC table in solid oak from€3,300forasixtoeightseater(stackingchairs€325); www.oddesign.com
Prism suite €18,000byJosephWalsh,www.josephwalshstudio.comPar 4 Pop, pricesstartat€1,350,www.lostweekend.ie
house 1312 house living in style
homesEurotech have been employing all of the above techniques overthe past 27 years, and invited Europe’s leading test house ArsenalResearch to test a cross section of systems to establish whichtechnique is best suited to the Irish Climate.
Prior to development of the Ochsner Millennium Horizontal SuperSplit air source heat pump with OVI and EET, air source was at thebottom of the queue in efficiency.
Ochsner by designing an air source heat pump from scratch broketheir own world record when BUCHS test house in Switzerlandconfirmed efficiency of 420% @ 2ºC air for the Ochsner MillenniumSuper Split with OVI (Ochsner vapour injection) and EET (electronicexpansion technology). This amazing heat pump providesconstant hot water at 65ºC, and heating all year round, due to theair temperatures in Ireland being more often above 2ºC thanbelow it, the season performance is over 500%, a perfect solutionfor Irish heating and hot water. This super machine delivers a COPof 3.1 at -10ºC outside air.
This system is easy to install with no civil work outside of a smallconcrete base 1m² leaving the system suitable for retrofit. This isgood news for people with dwellings or commercial buildingssuffering from high running costs and excessive carbon emissionsespecially as the system has grant aid from SEI.
To find out about the full Ochsner range or to discuss any items inthe above article simply contact Gerard Duffy at Eurotech or ourteam of technical engineers who will be pleased to advise you.
Eurotech Group bring World Record Efficiency to Irish consumers
What type of geothermal solution is best suited in an Irish climate?
ground source - vertical bore hole - water to water - air source - stream - lake etc.
Almost all air source heat pumps being fitted in Ireland areadapted air conditioning units running in reverse cycle, havinglittle or no heat pump characteristics. Many of these models arefitted with refrigeration controllers, not heating controls. Thesemachines have very small vertical evaporators designed todischarge heat into the atmosphere. The fin packs are placed at1.5mm apart resulting in high risk of freezing over in a dampwet climate, frequently de-frosting using electrical elementsand very costly to operate. As the melted water runs down thevertical evaporator when defrosting it lodges in the fin bed,freezing over when the next cycle begins. At this point the heatpump may remain in defrost mode using a 6kw or 9kwelectrical element to no avail.
Many of these systems failed completely during the recent coldwinter resulting in high electrical bills and very cold buildings,leaving the occupier bewildered and furious.
These look-alike air conditioning units max out around 45ºC @7ºC air, relying 100% on electrical elements for hot waterproduction @ -8ºC external air temperature.
Ochsner air source Millennium Super Split boasts outstandingfeatures include the following.• Horizontal evaporator Millennium table. (Water drips off no
freezing)• No electrical elements by design. (No high bills guaranteed)• Hot water at 65ºC all year due to OVI• Efficiency improves with every 1ºC improvement in outside
air temperature• Seasonal performance factor over 500% by non stop
operation in damp climate.• Ec fan fully modulating by OTE controller, very low operating
noise. Listen to hear it operating.• Patented fin pack, no freezing, no electric elements, long
lasting stainless steel evaporator table. • German constructed Ochsner know how with 130 heat pump
models.• 2,000 Ochsner heat pumps fitted in Ireland, over 90,000 fitted
in Europe.
EUROTECH ADVERTORIAL4 22/06/2009 12:26 Page 1
house 15
Ashoresanctuary
Kingspan Building System has long proved popular with self builders who
demand highest quality of product and service.
>> Guaranteed 'A' Rated Building System
>> Comfortable Living Environment
>> Experienced site team to assist you through the self build process
4555 zen haus A4 advert:Layout 1 05/06/2009 15:44 Page 1
house 17
It is among the most stunninglypicturesque, and peaceful placesanywhere,” says architect Damien
MurtaghwhowasobviouslyinspiredbythesiteofthishouseinPortrane,NorthCoDublin, on a sand and gravel ridgeof salt marshes and dune grasslandsfilled with year-round flora and fauna.Rightnextdoor isabirdsanctuaryandthehouseisalsonearamarinaandanisland.
The clients asked Damien MurtaghArchitectsforahousewhoseform,scaleand overall appearance would evolvefrom this rural and coastal setting.The couple also wanted to create aninspirational home for their children togrowup in:where daylight, nature, theelements, materials and textures, andenergyawarenessplayedalargerole.
Andthat iswhat theynowhave.Thehouse’s dry-stone walls, brilliant-whiterendering, patinated copper and cedarcladding are designed both to blendtogetherandintotheirsurroundings.
The house consists of a two-storeyelongatedspinewithtwoarmsateitherend. This gives the home a shape thatformsaprivatecourtyardfacingthesun.Themain aim behind the form was toensure that most of the rooms in thehouse got coastal views aswell as sunthroughout the day. All of the socialspaces are duel aspect “so that the
coastal panorama and the sunlight arepresent”, says the architect, “whichmakesforspacesofgreatstimulus”.
The house’s open-plan interior isenhanced and punctuated with voids,framelessglassrailingsandslidingwalls.It is entered through a recessed alcovethatleadstoalight-filledhallflooredwithwarmgiantslabsofOniciatoTravertineStone designed to contrast with thebrilliant-whiteinternalwalls.
There are not only bedrooms onthe ground floor but also a swimmingpoolwhich is surroundedbywallswitha stucco marmorino plaster finish tocomplement the blue Bisazza mosaicpooltiles.Thefloorisinadarktravertinestone. The open-plan kitchen, withwalnut and Corian Cesar kitchen, linksintothediningareawithitsdouble-heightframeless-cornerglazingthatgivesviewstoLambayIslandinthedistance.
The dining area and raised livingspace are separated by a cantileveredstaircase with frameless glass rail andwhich is contrasted with white Corian(more associated with kitchens andbathrooms). This ascends into a studyspacethatoverlooksthediningarea.
The dramatic sitting room, with itsexposed ceiling andwhite oak flooring,cantilevers on the coastal side towardsthe views through a wall of floor-to-ceilingframelessglass.Ontheopposite
sideoftheroomyoucanreachtheroofterraces through large sliding doors;externalstepsconnecttheseterracestothecourtyardbelow.
The master bedroom (with itsshelteredmorning terrace), the secondguest bedroom (also with its own roofterrace) and a children’s bedroom arereached across a bridge – over thecirculationcore–fromthesittingroom.
TheelectricalelementsinthehousearecontrolledthroughaSmarthomecontrolsystemwhichcanoperateelementssuchasaudio, lighting,security,heating,andTV, on site or remotely. For example,whentheownersareawaytheycanusetheir laptop to check security cameras,turnontheradio,openthecurtains,turnoffthelightingandlowertheheating.
TheairtighthousehasachievedaGradeABuildingEnergyRating(BER)throughits thermal insulation and renewableenergyelements.Thehouseincorporatesa rangeofKingspanproducts includingThe Century Tek Building System withthe addition of an insulated dryliningboard to all externalwalls and ceilings,ThermomaxPhotovoltaicsolarpanelling,
Eurotech Ltd who installed thegeothermalheatingsystemandanairtowater heating system also installed theEurosmartcontrolsystem.Thisseparatelycontrolsandrecordsthetemperatureofevery room in the house. It also givespreferencetothehighestenergyefficientperformerofallsystemsinstalledatanygiven time of day. This, combinedwithan advanced Alu/Timber triple glazingSystemfromGermanJoineryLtd,makethe whole house, including the indoorpool,economicaltoheat.
This airtight homefilledwithnaturallightmeansthatthosewholivehere“areinconstanttouchwiththeoutsidewhileinternallystillfeelingprotectedandsecurefrom the elements”, says the architect.“We are delightedwith the outcome ofthisstructurewhichrespondssensitivelyyet boldly to both its surroundings andrequirements.
We view its design, form andharmonious synthesis of materialsas a modern interpretation of coastalarchitecture.”H
When their childrenhad grown up andmovedoutofthefamily’s
Victorian house in Dublin 6, thecouple who owned it decided tobuildamewshouse,inthegarden,for themselves. They approachedKMD Architecture who consideredthegoodandpooraspectsofmewshouse design before starting todesign the house. The good thingaboutbuildingahouseinyourowngarden is that you can stay in aneighbourhoodyouknowwelland,forthiscouple,itmeanttheycouldstayclosetothecitycentre.
On looking at the downsides ofmews houses, the architects saythatpoorlydesignedexampleshavelimitednaturallight,lackofstorageandalackoffacilitiesbeyondbasicliving requirements. They werealso aware that there could be alarge difference in scale betweenthe original house and a mewshouse.Thisprojectovercomessuchissues. The resulting mews houseisquitelarge,withtwostoreysover
The stairs run up the centre ofthe house creating a grand senseofscaleand,beingtoplit,itbringsnatural light into the core of thehome. The stairs also divide theinternalspaces: in thebasement itsplits the spa from theplay room,utility and storage.On the groundfloortheTV/familyroom,cloakroomand kitchen are on the west side,withtheliving/diningtotheeast.
Theupperflooristakenupbyabedroomsuitecomprisingsleeping,bathroom and living area. And, tosave traipsing through the housewith dirty linen, there is a laundrychuterunningtothebasement.Ontheoppositesideofthefloorthereisanoffice,bathroomandaguestbedroom.Theofficeandlivingarea
upherecanbeeasilyconvertedintotwomorebedrooms.
KMDArchitecturehavedesignedthe house in a way that allowsspacestoflowfromoneareatothenexttoincreasethesenseofspace.Tofacilitatethisflow,therearemanysliding doors that slip into walls,todisappearwhennot inuse.Theliving/dining room, for instance, isseparatedfromtherestofthehousewithadoubleslidingwall.
Thisroomhaslotsofnaturallightcoming in frombothendsandtheviewsoutandacross theareagiveagoodfeelingofspace.Theinteriorand exterior are also linked by thetimber floor in the living/diningroom that runs into the timberterracesonbothsidesofthehouse.Thedecktotherearofthehouseisseenasanextension to the living/dining room, and has a barbecue,seatinganddiningarea.
Alargesteppedterrace,finishedin porcelain tiles, brings light andnatural ventilation right down intothe spa room and play room. The
well-insulatedconcretehouseiscladingreyceramic tiles that are carefully detailed tocreateacleanflowbetweenwallsanroof.
Internally the palette comprises whitepainted ceilings and walls, timber andceramicfloorson thegroundfloor, rubberandceramicinthebasementandcarpetonthefirstfloor.
Thisneutralenvironmentwascreatedinconsultation with the clients who wantedthe perfect space inwhich to display theircollectionofart.
“Theprojecthadtodealwiththechallengeof clients moving from a large scaleelegant Victorian house to more compactaccommodationandtheeleganceandscaleoftheVictorianhousehasbeeninterpretedin an unashamedly modern architecturestyle,whichstilldealswithelegance,scale,proportionandlight,”saythearchitects.
KMD carried out the job with twocontractors doing very different tasks. The‘shellandcore’contract(whichisbasicallythebuildingofthehouse)wasbyOwenbeeConstructionwhile thefit-outwasdonebyJames Quinn Construction. “By splittingthis contract, theheavy in situwork couldbe carried out by contractors best suited
to that activity, and the highly specialisedprecise quality of finish required for suchahousecouldbedeliveredbyacontractorinterestedinandcapableofsuchstandard,”say the architects. “The commitment andskillofJamesQuinnofQuinnConstructionwasoutstanding.Hisattentiontodetailanddesiretodeliverqualitywasexceptionalandmuchcreditisduetohimfortheproject’ssuccess.”
ThearchitectsalsopraiseDunnesJoinery“forveryhighqualitytimberworkthroughoutthe house, Tilestyle for beautiful mosaicsandporcelaintilesandIcanEngineeringformetalwork and glass balustrades. Philipsfor the integrated audio/visual system(connectingradio/iPod/CD/DVD/digitalTV,includinghomecinema)andBuchtalfortheexternalceramictilecladding.”
Theclientshavebeeninthehouseforayearnowandarehappyintheirnewhome.They played a large role in the successfuloutcome,saythearchitects.
“In all successful projects there aremanycontributors,notleastinthisinstanceour clients,whose energy and enthusiasmover the duration of the process wasremarkable.”H
Whenthecouplewhoownthismews
housedecidedtomovetothebottom
oftheirgarden,KMDArchitectsdesignedthema
newhomethatcontainedthesame
senseofscaleandhomelinessastheir
originalVictorianhouse.Photography
by Paul Tierney
house 2524 house homes
project factsFaçade and cladding: AgrobBuchtal–DeutscheSteinzeugKeramikGmbH,IrishAgent:BobSharpe(WRichardsonLtd)Dublin22.T:(01)4640533
Paving and Landscaping:JamesQuinnConstruction,CoWestmeath.T:0868894078
first floor plan1 landing2 office3 bedroom4 master bedroom5 living area6 bedroom7 balcony
basement plan1 changing area2 store3 plant room4 spa area5 steam room6 play room7 utility8 store
1
234
5
67 8
1
2 3
5 6
77
4
1
2
3
56
7
910
88
4
house 2726 house homes
Lightbox
house 29
We lived in a house in the Quay area ofWestport for 10 years,whichwasgreatbutthe terraced nature of the house had its
draw-backs,” says Michael Horan, of Axo Architects,wholivesherewithhiswifeTiaandchildrenLucy(9)andTed(6).Allwaste,shoppingandfuelhadtocomein through the front door and hall, he says, becausetherewasno rearaccess,and the fact that the familylived right beside a supermarket meant that it wasimpossibleforthechildrentoplayoutfront.
The familyboughtasmall, slopingplotof land justoutsidethetowntobuildtheirnewhomeon.Discussionsaboutjustwhatsortofhousetheywantedcameupwithadesireforacloserelationshipwithbothlandandsky(especiallythesun).
Materials(sourcedlocallywherepossible)werealsochosentofixthehouseinthelandscape(concreteandtimber),dramaticallyreachouttothesunandlandscape(white rendered box) and to reflect the surroundingcolours(glass).
Thewhiteupperpartofthebuildingsitsonthisandoverhangs it.The ‘foldedbox’ formof that topsectionwas inspired by a white sheet of paper, folded andwrappedintoashapethatwouldcreatevariousdegreesof opacity and privacy, both externally and internally.(seeillustration)
Thebedroomsandutility/storageare in the lowerpartofthehouseandthefactthatthispartofthebuilding’sback wall is underground allows it to use the naturalwarmthoftheearthtohelptoheatthehouse.Allofthebedroomsfacethemorningsun“toallowustowakentothesunriseratherthanthesoundofabeepingalarmclock”, says Horan, who built the house using directlabour,mainlyfromthelocality.“Thesunmovesaroundtothewestintheeveningandallowsthedownstairsbedroomstocooldowntoavoidstuffinessatbedtime.”
The open sun terrace above the main bedroom isorientated to receive sunlight frommorning until lateevening.Thisterraceisalsothemainentrypointtothehouse.
“Themerestraysofsunshineinwinterhaveanimpacton the internal temperature,” says Horan. The roofextendsoutonthesouthsidetogivesomeshadefromthesummersun,andstopthehousefromoverheating(internalwalls also extend to the exterior). A large cutintheroofbringsdramaticinjectionsoflightdeepintothehouseandallowsoccupants tobeawareofwherethesunis,alldaylong.Theoverhangingboxmakesthehouselookasifitisfloatingonthelandscapewhenseenfromthewest.Insidethisboxthespaceisdesignedtoflowfreely.Theliving,kitchenanddiningzonesareopenplanbutlargeslidingwallsallowthespacestobecloseduptocreatemoreintimatespaces.H
upper ground floor1 deck2 lobby3 hall4 living room5 dining6 kitchen7 family area8 play area9 guest bedroom10 guest en suite11 visitable wc12 pantry / store13 study
lower ground floor1 main bedroom2 main en suite3 main dress area4 bedroom5 en suite6 play hall7 hot press8 plant room9 utility
Hovercraft The first thingthatstruckAiltireachtArchitects
whentheywereaskedtoaddanextensiontothisdouble-fronted house in south Co Dublin was
that the existing home didn’t linkwell to the garden.“Whenyoucame in the frontdooryousteppeddowninto the kitchen, in the return, and were confrontedwithabigwindowlesswallsoyoudidn’tknowthatthegarden was there. It was obvious we had to changethat,” says Allister Coyne of Ailtireacht Architects.TheVictorianhouse,whichhasalargelivingroomandstudytothefront,andanewkitchenanddiningroomintheextensiontotherear,nowhasviewsrightthroughfrom front to back, through the use of well-placedexpansesofglass.Whilethearchitectsretainedthesidewallsoftheoriginal20sqmreturn,they“cutittobits”andaddedontoittocreateanewextensionof75sqm.
“Nowallofthegeometriesguideyoureyesoutintothe garden,” saysCoyne, and geometry is a keywordhere: thearchitectstook inspirationfromthefact thatthe edge of the garden was at an angle, because oftheway itmet theadjoiningproperty,andthatsetupdiagonalsinthenewstructure.
ThehousehasbecomeknownasWindhover– thenameofaGerardManleyHopkinspoemaboutabird’sabilitytohoverwhilehuntingforprey–todescribeitsbirdlike form and instill the idea ofwingsmoving upanddown:reflectedinthezig-zagformoftheroof.Therisingandfallingof theroof is reflected in thespacesbelow,creatingdifferentzones,suchasthekitchenanddiningarea,inthenewextension.
WhenaskedtodesignanextensionforthisDublinhouse,AiltireachtArchitectsvisuallyreconnectedthehomewiththegardenandaddedawing-inspiredroofforgoodmeasure,writesEmmaCullinan.Photography by Paul Tierney
Theinteriormeetstheexteriorinanumberofplaces,including a terrace, back garden and two courtyards.Thegardenalsoextendstopartoftheroofwhichhasgrassonitthatalsorunsupawall.
www.energysavingbulbs.ie is an Irish online retailer of compact fluorescents, candles, spotlights, tubes and LEDs for excellent prices + nationwide nextday delivery to your door.
Unit 11c, Duleek Business Park, Co. Meath Tel: 041 9882220
While the house had plenty of characterandwaswellplaced,nearthesea,“itdidn’treallyworkasfamilyhome,”saysJoeLawrenceofLawrenceandLongArchitectswhoweretakenontocarryout thework.“Thehousecomprisedaseriesofsmallroomsandtherewas an inappropriate flat roofed extensionandaconservatoryononeside.Mostofthehousehadnorelationwiththegarden.”Yetthesouth-west-facinggardenwasapotential
sun-trap and the architects demolished ashed andbuilt a thin long extension alongthenorthedgeofthegarden–withplentyofglazing, includingaclerestorywindow–sothatitcouldcapturesunfromthesouth.
They configured it so that a 30-year-oldbirch tree could remain in place. Whilethe new extension is essentially one room,housing a kitchen and ‘den’, it has threedifferentceilingheightstodemark‘rooms’,while a long verandah accessed by largeslidingdoorslinksalloftheareas.
As is often the case when people aregiven bright new spaces, the family nowspendsmostofitstimeinthiskitchenandthe informal living room beside it. In theprevious set-up the kitchen cut the livingspaceofffromthegarden,whereasnowthe
mostoftheviewsandthesunlight,writesEmmaCullinan.Photography by
Marie-Louise Halpenny
internal layout has been changed (withwalls removed)so thatyoucansee thefloatingtimberandglassextensionfromthe front door, which helps to link thehouse from front to rear and on intothegarden.“What isnow thehallusedto be a landlocked living roomwith nowindows and a hall that was so smalltwopeoplecouldn’tstandtogetherinit,”saysLawrence.Theykeptafireplacefromthatroomwhichnowbacksontoalivingroombesideit.
At Christmas the hall fire was lit towelcomeguestsandchildrenranaroundtheentranceareatoletoffsteam,givingthespaceawholenewlife.Ontheothersideofthefronthall thereusedtobeatiny galley kitchen stuck onto one sideof the house and a small bathroom to
the rear that cut off thehouse from itsgarden.Viewsoftheseatothefrontwerealso restricted by an awkward staircasethat ranup inside the frontwall just totheleftofthefrontdoor.
Upstairs were two bedrooms one ofwhich just had awindow on the gable,whichmeantthatithadnoseaviews.
Theconservatorywasdemolishedanda larger two-storey extension was built.This has added a thirdbedroom to thehouseaswellasabathroomthatjutsoutbeyond the bedroom, giving sea viewsfromthebath.A‘periscope’shootsintotheskyfromthisroomtocatchmorningsunlightfromtheeast.Suchsnorkelesquedesignspeaksbothofthenearbyseaandthecreationofnewviewsoftheoutsideworld.H
ground floor 1 kitchen2 fire place3 den4 living room5 hall6 playroom7 front garden8 patio9 verandah
first floor 1 bedroom2 bathroom
1
1
1
1
9
2
2
34
5
6
7
8
house 4544 house homes
It’sawrap
house 47
This warm red extension to a house inGlenageary,Dublin,byCastArchitecturespeaksbothofthetraditionalredbrickhousesofDublin
butthestructure’sclayklinkertiles(hard-wearingtilesoften used on commercial buildings) also conjure upaMediterranean feel, a sort of Costa del Glenageary.Thisimageishelpedbythefactthatyoucanseetheseafromhere,overtheMonkstownrooftops.
Thewaythematerialcanwrapthestructure,acrosswalls, floors and soffits, iswhat Emmett Scanlon andSarahCreminofCastlikedaboutit.Itevenrunsacrossthestairsmaking them lookaverywarmand invitingplacetosit.Thearchitectsalsowantedastructurethatcontrastedwiththepitched-roofbrickandplasterhouse,whichisinastreetofsimilarlyprofiledproperties.
Thecouplewho live in this1970shousehavebeenherefor20yearsandwantedtoadaptittotheircurrentneeds. This included an independent but connectedspacefortheirgrown-upson,nowatcollege.Hisroomisnowinwhatwasformerlythegarageandisinpartoftheextensionthatwrapsaroundthesideofthehouse.Theteenager’sroomhasitsownfrontdoor–sothathecansneakinquietlylateatnight–butitconnectsintoanewshowerroomandonintothemainkitchen/livingspacewherethebackofthehousemeetstheextension.
Thereusedtobeanofficeinthispartofthehousebut thishasmoved to thewest sideof thehouse toenable the kitchen tohave ameaningful relationshipwith the garden. The architects wanted an extensionwithaprofilethatwasasstrongastheA-framehouseand to clearly differentiate between old and new,with bothmaterials and shape. “Wewanted the newextensiontofeellikeonepiece,”saysScanlon.
Architecture is greatly helped by the use of goodqualitymaterialsandthathasworkedherewiththoseklinker tiles all beautifully applied by hand and inverticalcoursestounderlinethefactthattheyarenon-structural. “From themoment we began looking foracontractorwe told themthat thiswouldbea reallyimportantpartofthejob,”saysScanlon.PatComerfordwasthebuilderandthetilerwasTadas,fromPoland,whotookgreatcareovertheproject.“Hewouldspongedownthetileswithasmileonhisface,”saysCremin.
Thesiteissurroundedbyhousesandtreesandtheclientswerekeentohavearoofterracetoliftthemupclosertothesun.Plannersaskedthattheterracenotoverlook neighbours so the glass wall at its edge isopaque,makingtheterracefeellikeanoutdoorroom.Thisspace’sotherwallsarethebookendsateachedgewhicharepartoftheklinker-cladextensionstructure.
These box-like ‘persicopes’ extendup from themainformandhavewindowsthatbringlightintotheroomsbelow. One splits to allow natural light into both ahallwayandbathroomandtheotheronebrings lightinto one side of the open-plan living space. On theground floor, where things are more private, hugeglass doors embrace the garden. The concrete patiopavingisinasimilarcolourtotheklinkertilesandwasacompromisewhenthetilebudgetranout.
“Although they had little experience of drawingsandmodels,theyareaprofessionalcouplewhoknewabout professionalworking relationships. A sense oftrust between architect and clients is very importantandthatquicklydevelopedaswebegantoshowthemthe drawings and they could see the potential. It’s acollaborative thing and clients who can’t find trustcan’tworkasequals.”
ground floor 1 back garden2 dining room3 shower4 kitchen5 bedroom6 living room7 front garden
first floor 1 terrace2 stairs to garden3 bedroom
house 5150 house homes
This modern home in thechocolateboxvillageofEnniserryin Wicklow sits on the site of a
former cottage at the base of a steepescarpment. The cottage and inclineboth restricted the size of the newhomebut they also enabledadramaticdesign.The couplewhoowned the site
sought permission to get rid of thecottageonthesite,“whichwasawreck”,says architect Dave O’Shea of ODOSArchitects, which he runs with DarrellO’Donoghue. Permission was grantedfor the demolition and the buildingof a new house that was about a thirdlarger in size than theexistingproperty
ViewfinderThelivingspaceinthishouse,whichisatthebaseofasteepescarpment,isontheupperfloortomakethemostofviewsacrossthecountrysidebyEmmaCullinan.Photography by Ros Kavannagh
–about270sqm–havingtakenintoaccounttheoutbuildingsaswell.“Theclientwantedacontemporaryhomethatwas fullof lightandwouldenablethemtoappreciatethesetting,”saysO’Shea.“Theoldcottagehadbeenrootedfirmlyinthegroundandthewindowsweresosmall that you couldn’t really appreciate thesite.”
The top floor of this three-bedroomhouse–with one storey at the back and two at thefront – contains the sleeping and open-planlivingarea,whileutiltyrooms,servicesandthegaragearetuckedinthebeneath.
Having the living area on the first floorenables the owners to look down across theluscious countryside and gardens – throughlargewindows–aswellasuptheescarpment,not least through rooflights (includingone inthe kitchen) designed to increase the verticalvistarighttothetopofthemountain.Asviewsbecameapparentwhilethehousewasonsite,windows were moved to take advantage of
“From theoff theprojectwas tricky: it ranthrougha verywet summer and the treesontheescarpmentheldalltherainandthenwhenit stopped the water would all start movingdown towards thehouse,” saysO’Shea. “Thewatertablesvariedgreatlyandwehadtotrytokeepthewateroutofthesite.Wewerebuildinginveryoddconditions.”
Addingtotheaquaticscenewasanancientriver which didn’t show up on recent mapsof the area but certainly revealed itself oncethe original cottage was demolished. Thefact that this ran through three different soiltypes: a rock base, sandy soil and siltmeantthat the architects – who eventually founddocumentation of the river on an 1810 map–had togoback to thedrawingboard. “Ourbuilding now had to be on those three soil
“Atfirstwedidn’tappreciatethelevelthatyoucouldgo to with painting timber,” says O’Shea. The glasswallswereoriginallygoingtobedividedwithpanelsinvaryingshadesofgreybutthentheydecidedoncolour.“OnenightwhenmeandDarrellwereonsitehesaid,whydon’twedostripesinsteadofalltheseblocks?”
“Wewereveryanxioustomakeadifferencebetweenthe solids and the surrounds and thiswas an aid todescribingtheconceptofbuilding,”saysO’Donoghue.The painters relished the challenge. “There werethese guys with tiny brushes and it was a true testof the painters on site. One painter thanked us forgivinghimsuchadifferent taskand involvinghim inthe colourscapeofbuilding,” saysO’Sheawhoneverimagined,atthebeginningoftheproject,thathewouldbepaintingthefrontdoorinfourdifferentcolours.Theclients were fine with it too: “They gave us free reinfromdayone,”saysO’Shea,“althoughthat’snottosay
The design came out of the usualODOSworkingmethodinwhichtheyholdin-officeworkshopsinwhichtheygothroughaseriesofpossibilitesandthenworkupsomeofthemin3D.
“We knew from the start that wewanted a higherlevelthatwouldbelightandofftheground–withanentrylevelonaraisedplate–andthatprettymuchsetitup”,saysO’Donoghue.
Nowtheclientscanenjoytheirnewhomebuttheyalso have to occasionally share it because they oftengetrequests,sometimesintheformofletterspostedthrough their door, from people who want to comeinsideandseeit.H
3
4
2
5 5 5
67
8
1 main entrance2 hallway3 living | kitchen | dining4 external deck
The woman who lives in this house – who became a friend ofarchitect Amanda Bone during the build – loves her new homedespitethefactthatthearchitectfeltthedesignwascompromised
WhenBone,ofBoneO’DonnellArchitects,wasapproachedtodesignasmallhouseonthistightmewssite,sheknewjustwhatwasneededtomakethemostof it.Therewouldbe largewindowstobringinasmuchnaturallightaspossibleand,becausethegroundfloorwassmallanddark,shewould have the bedrooms at this level and the living space on thebrightertopfloorwhichhasgoodviewsofthecanal.
Butalldidnotgotoplan;whenBonewentforplanningpermissionshewasasked to imitate thehouses thathad recentlybeenbuiltbesidehersite.Likethem,shetoowastohavebedroomsontheupperfloor,shewastocopythesmallwindowsdividedintofourpanes,shewastomatchthestonefront,havehardwoodwindows,followthefootprintsofthehousesbesidethisandapetheroofpitchtothefront.
The resulting house stands testament to the client and architect’stenacity:thisprojectistheworkofsomeonewhocaresaboutwhattheydoandhasspenttheextratimeachievingit.
Starting at the front, where she was tocopy the stone of the house next door,she did just that but made some keychanges.
Thestones followhorizontal coursesrather than being random like thosenearby;theupperwindowsruninabandto the edge of the wall and the lowerwindows come back the otherway; thewindows are recessed and have sharpaluminiumedges“ratherthanjustbeingplantedonandhavingaroughandreadygranite look. Iwanted todo somethingwiththestoneandnotjusthaveitasaninfillbetweenwindows,”shesays.
Entrytothe90sqm(971.7sqft)houseis througha ‘carport’andthenafloor-to-ceiling front door. Such generousopenings, that encourage the flow ofnatural light, are used throughout thehouse.Aresinfloor,pouredbyRenobuild,takes the daylight andmakes it appearinfinite as well as bouncing it back upintotherooms.
The floorwas originallymeant to bein polished concrete but the machinethatpours itwouldn’t fit into the smallspace.Theresin,whichisnormallyusedonfactoryfloors,comesinmanycoloursbut here it mimics a concrete tone tomatchthepatio,withwhichitliesflush.
Themain,south-facingbedroomspillsontotheoutdoorspacethrougha largewallmadefromsolar-reducingglassthatturnsopaquewhenviewedsidewayson(although the sun is also encouragedintothebuildingthroughevacuatedtubesolarpanelsontheroofthatareusedto
heat water). Behind this bedroom is asmallbathroomfittedwithsanitarywaredesignedbyarchitectDavidChipperfieldfor Ideal Standard and brick-shapedglazedwhitetilesthatrecallthoseintheFrench house designed by Eileen Grey(catchily titledE-1027),whoseworkthisclientadmires.
The space is subliminally divided:the low-level storage that runs beneaththefireplace in thesittingareafinishes,acrosstheothersideoftheroom,atthepointwherethekitchenbegins(alsothemid-waypointoftheroom).
To the rear of this room, where theclient canwave toherparentswho livein the original at the other end of thegarden, there is a long,widewindow–with strong vertical divides– that foldsbackcompletelytogiveaclearhorizontalopeningthatdramaticallyaddressestheworldatlarge.
The result is a small, simple, nicelydetailed, light-filled house that is well-orientatedandcapitalisesoncanalviews.And the resulting friendship betweenclient and architect is testament to ahappybuild.H
ground floor 1 set back 2 entrance / carport 3 entrance hallway 4 bedroom hallway 5 bedroom 6 bathroom
7 ensuite 8 laundry 9 storage 10 planting11 paving
first floor 1 living room2 dining room3 kitchen4 non-accessible flat roof
house 5958 house homes
Lightshow
house 61
When the couple who ownthis house were expectingtheir first child they took the
opportunitytogetanarchitecttoconverttheproperty,whichwasthendividedintoapartments,intoacomfortableandbrightfamily home. The existing layout of the100-year-oldredbrickwastypicalofsuchhouses: there were poor connectionsfromthegroundfloorlivingareastothegardenandkitchenandotherspacesthathadbeendesignedinthepasttobeusedbyservants.Thisalsomeantthatnaturallightlevelsinthelivingroomswerelow.
The brief to Camilleri-Preziosi RyanArchitects included a desire for anopen-plan kitchen/living space, a utilityroom and an additional bathroom andbedroom in the attic space. Inside theexisting house the architects improvedthe layout and made the house more
energyefficient.“Afinebalancemustbefound in order to achieve the benefitsof upgrading without compromisingthe period character of the propertyor damaging the original fabric,” saythe architects who put high levels ofinsulation in theroofspacesandfloors(by lifting the original floorboards), drylined some rooms, refurbished anddraught-proofedoriginalsashwindows;addedsmartcontrolstozonetheheating;installed a high efficiency condensingboiler;putinwater-heatingsolarpanelsandusedhigh-performancematerialsintheconstructionofthenewextension.
Thenewkitchenandlivingspacewasto be in this light-filled rear extension,whichcontrastswiththeoriginalkitchenarea which was small, dim and didn’tembracethedirectionofthesun.The materials in the extension “are
intended to provide a natural andsympathetic background for the designof the spaces and to complement thebrick in the original house”, say thearchitects.Adarkgreyzincwaschosenfortheroofbecauseofitsdurability.Thegreyofthezincandaluminiumwindowsissoftenedbyredcedarinthebrise-soleilandatimberbench.
The flooring is timber inside andstoneoutside.Theseare laidflushwitheach other to ease the link betweeninterior and exterior. This complementstheconnectionbetween the twospacesestablishedbytheextensiveglazingandlargefoldingdoors.
The extension roof overhangs to therearcreatingablurringofthisboundarybetweenindoorsandout.Thisportionoftheroofcontainsthecutoutwithtimberbrise-soleilwhichfiltersandanimatesthequality of light in the space. The roof’sshape and design, including clerestorywindows,modulatesnaturallightinbothnew and old spaces. The clients haveenjoyedtheunexpectedpatternsoflightcoming into their new living space,notleast those caused by reflections fromwaterlyingonthesmallflatroofoutsidetheclerestorywindow.H
ThenewhouseisbehindtheexistingVictorianhouse(which faces a main road) and, to maintain privacy,McGonigledesignedhishometobesidewaysontothehouseinfrontofit.
Thismeans that you first arrive at one end of thehouse,withitspitchedroofandwhitewallpunctuated
with offset, upscaled, low and high windows whichindicatethatthoughthasgoneintothedesign,personalneedshavebeenaddressedandconventionhasbeentamperedwith.
The house is one room deep and has its sparselywindowed back to the north, against weather and aneighbouring terrace of Victorian houses, while theroomsopenouttothesouthtoembraceanysunanda strip of wasteland (whichMcGonigle plans to turnintoawoodlandwiththeagreementoftheschoolthatownsit).
The pivot between family and formal is, quiteappropriately,aflexi-spacewhichisusuallyastudybutturnsintoabedroomwhentheirguestinawheelchairvisits(withwidedoorsandgeneroushallsallowingforthedeliveryofahospitalbed).
Theformalsittingroom,withwideoakfloors,inbuilt,low-lying shelving/seating made from local Mournegranite,isattheoppositeendofthelonghousetothediningroom/kitchenandplayroomwhichsitsoutinthegarden.
Allofthegroundfloorroomsspillontothelong,thingardenwhichisaseriesofseparatecourtyardspaces,definedbyplanting,overhangingstructuresandsemi-walls, with the formal area sitting beside the formalroomandthediningareaoutsidethekitchen.
The house is filled with such augmentations ofstandarddesign:wheretherecouldhavebeenonelongoutdoor space, there is a series; andwhere the dark-stained hardwood framing the glasswalls could havebeenplainfatplanes,theyaresteppedwiththeuprightsexpressed,tolooklikesupportingcolumnsandofferinganodtotheworkofDutcharchitectGerritRietveld.
Other creative details include having the playroomoffsetattheendofthelonghousewhereitpartlysitsinthelawnedgardentothefarendofthehouse;aconcretepergolaextendsbeyondthis.
Neighboursareinarowofbeautifulperiodredbrickssittingtooneside,withregimentedchimneysmarchinginto the distance (and a hole in the hedge allowsneighbouringchildrentovisiteachother).
Belowthebedroomwindowisaflatroofinstanding-seamlead,whoseseamsarewiderandmoreroundedthan standard: “When you have a craftsman on thebuildingteam–aswedid–youshouldusethem,”saysMcGonigle, who visited the site about three times aweek,andcompletedthe232m2(2,500sqft)houseonastrictbudget–of£185,000(€235,000).
Themainroofisinslate,andthosetworoofmaterialsexpress this house’s combination of vernacular andnew. Having slotted in between period houses, thishome represents a polite new neighbourwhose formfitsinwithlocalcustomsandyetwhichhidesacreativeandopensoul.H
Colour is in voguethissummeraspeoplewanttheirspiritsliftedfromthedoomandgloom that is about, saysColm Doyle of
Doylescapes.“Growingfruitandvegorganicallyisabuzzitematthemoment,”hesays,“andthisgoes hand-in-hand with sustainable gardeningpractisesuchasorganiccompostingandcuttingout theuseof chemicals.Peopleare turning togardeningforrelaxationandstressrelief.”
Due to budget constraints many people arerecyclingmaterialssuchastimberandoldstoneto build benches, border edging, low walls,randompathwaysandsoon,saysDoyle.
“We recently worked on two private gardenswherewereusedalloftheplantinginthegardens,allofthetimberfencingandallofthepaving.Thiscutdownthecoststotheclientbyabout40percentandmadethecompletedgardenslookasiftheyhadbeenthereforalongtime.
WerecentlyopenedaPolishofficeandrelocatedamemberofstafftherewhoisfromPoland.Heis now bringing in business from eastern andcentralEurope.”
What ideas can Doyle suggest that areaffordable for people on a budget? “Try to berealisticwithyourbudget,giveyourdesigneranideaof the items youwantand theprice rangeorbudgetyouhave.Ioftengetclientswhowon’tdisclosetheirbudgetandgetashockwhentheyseethequotations for thework.Theaimof thelandscapedesigneristoworkwiththemtosuittheirbudgets.Itisalsoimportant,whenaclientwants todosomeof thework themselves, thattheyshouldsaysoatthebeginningofthegardendesignprocess.”
Doylescapes had a medium-sized showgarden atBloom this year calledUrbanNative.Itsdesigncreatedanoutdoorspaceinwhichyoucouldrelaxandenjoyanoasisofsimplematerialsandplantingwithintheconfinesofacityorurbangardenorasmallofficeorcommercialgarden.H
“Intimesofeconomicuncertaintythegarden’sroleincreasesinimportance.Weneedasafehaven,aplaceto unwind and de-stress, to gather with friends andfamily, to grow food to eat andplants andflowers toremindusofthebeautyofnature.Someofourgardensweredesigned to showwhat canbeachievedwhenaprofessionaldesignerisengaged,oftenwiththegardenownergetting‘dugin’andcarryingouttheplantingandunskilledlabourthemselves.”
Bloom2009included25showgardensfromIreland’stop horticultural talent, complemented by a floralpavilion.“Thereisgrowingrecognitionthatplantsandgardensneedtimetomature.Gardenscanbedesignedandbuiltinphases,whichiseasieronthepocketandallows more time to ‘finesse’ and improve on one’sinitialideas,”saysGraham.
garden adventures“People are getting more adventurous in achievinggreateruseofgardenspace,hencetheincreasedinterestinsummerhouses,lightingandgrow-your-ownfruitandvegetables,” says garden designer owen Chubb whosecoreclientbaseispremiumprivateresidential.Henoticeddistinctive garden trends coming through for summer2009:“Increasinglyclientsareselectingqualityproductswithdesignattributes:naturalstonepavingandmaturespecimen planting are featuring strongly,” says Chubbwhorunsowen Chubb Garden Landscapes.“There isagrowing interest in garden layouts that are more openandlessfussy.Plantheightsandplantingspacescontinueto decline, reflecting the continued demand for low-maintenancesolutions.
“Demand for distinctive forms in garden furniture,sculpture and stainless steel water features continuesto grow. Popular specimen plants and trees are olive,ChameropsandTrachycarpusaswellassmallertraditionaltrees for subtle screening. In townhouse gardens andapartments, we have seen interest in planters withbuilt-in irrigation,“ says Chubb, who was at Bloom forthe third year running, selling his Titan stainless steelwaterfeatures,figurativebronzegardensculpturesfromBelgium,gardenswingseatsandclassicbenchesaswellasVictoriansummerhouses.
He says that certain sectors of the market areexperiencing lower sales. “We continue to enjoy gooddemand for our design and installation services, butremainalertandresponsivetoanymarketchanges.”
Does Chubb perceive a new trend in gardenimprovementsasanalternativetomovinghouse?“Thereis anecdotal evidence that people are deciding not tomovebuttomakeimprovementstotheircurrenthouseandgarden.Amoreunusualtrendisanincreasedinterestfromyoungerpeopleininvestingintheirgardens.”H H
house 7170 house gardens
By getting thedesignright,youcanloweryournewhome’senergybillforfree,saysOwenLewis,chiefexecutive
ofSEI(SustainableEnergyIreland).“Things like siting, shelter, orientation
andplanningwillgiveyou,fornocostandabitofthought,infiniteratesofreturnandthat underlines the importance of skilleddesign,”saysLewis.
Bysitinghemeansplacingyourhomewell–forexamplenotonthetopofawindyhillorinashadowyhollow.Orientationisalso about facing various rooms in yourhome,toensurethattheymakethemostof theweather, be that facing the sun orhavingtheirbacktothewind.
“For instance, it is lovely to have akitchen or breakfast room that gets themorning sun while the living room mayfacethewestforeveninguse.Yourservicespaces, bathroom and circulation areas,suchasstairs,canbeputtowardsthenorthtoinsulatethebuilding.Thatwayyougetalayout which naturally cuts heating costsbygettingthesuntoheatthebuilding.
“Each individual site will have itsown challenges, in terms of views andneighbouringbuildings,whichwillalladdfurther layers to the design challenge,”saysLewis.
Trees can be used to cut down theprevailingwindsbutyouneedtobecarefulnot to block out the sun: designers havelearnedhowtousedeciduoustreeswhoseleaves will give shade in summer whilebare branches in the winter will let thesunthrough.“Simpleandwell-triedthingslikethatcomethroughtheunderstandingof daily and seasonal changes and howbuildingsrespondtothosechanges,”saysLewis.
Otherseasonalresponsesincludehavingshading, such as shutters and awnings,thatarepositionedtotakeaccountofthesun’shighangleinsummerandlowangleinwinter.
Another extremely effective way ofcutting energy costs – although this willneedpayingfor–isinsulation.“Youneedto have the envelope of the building aswell-made as possible,” says Lewis. “Youneedseriousamountsofinsulation.”
It is crucial, he says, that there arenogapsthatwillbringcoldairgushinginorwhich will send warm air out: heat caneither escape through holes or acrossthermal bridges (this iswhere amaterialthat conducts heat, such as a metal tie,runs through insulation). “Problemsarise in theopenings [suchasdoorsand
windows] or where you connect, say, theflooratthefirstfloorlevelorattheeaves,”says Lewis. “You have to be careful thatyoudon’tmakea`bridge`whichactsasaconduitforheattoleakout.
“The quality of construction is veryimportant when putting in insulationas you are trying to make sure that theenvelope is well sealed and there are nobad joints between, say, the window andwall,”saysLewis.
Insulation can run in walls, roofs andevenfloors.Inwallsitcanbeputintocavitywalls (although many homes in Irelandarebuiltwithhollowblocksmakingthemdifficulttoretrofitinthisway)ortheycanbeinsulatedinternallyorexternally.
As well as requiring good insulation,new standards will also stipulate thatbuildings be better sealed and so sufferfromlessheatloss,“whichwillmeanthatmechanical ventilationwith heat recoverywill be required”, says Lewis, describingsystems where ventilation is controlledmechanicallyandanyheatengendered inthehouse(suchasfromcookersorwashingmachines)isharnessedandreused.
For those concerned about using amechanicalsystematatimewhenwearetryingtocutdownouruseofenergy,Lewissays, “They are wonderfully efficient anddo not use too much electricity.” Therearealsovariouswaysofventilatinghomeswithoutmechanicalsystems.
Extracting heat will also preventcondensation problems, which can beachieved by “taking out water vapour atsource,forinstancewithanextractorinthe
kitchenorevenjustbyopeningabathroomwindowafterashower.Ifyoudon’ttacklethe issue at source condensation willspread through the house to the coldestroom.
“People may wonder why they havemouldgrowthontheirspareroomceilingbuttheproblemcouldbethatitiscomingfromthebathroom,whichiswhyitisbesttoextractvapouratsource,”saysLewis.
Additions such as solar panels needto be considered carefully, says Lewis,who explains that while it would take aconsiderable number of solar panels toheatbothyourhomeandhotwater,asmallarea of solar collectors could be used toheat your water, with an energy-efficientboilerheatingthehome.
He also sees PV (photovoltaic cells),which use the sun’s energy to makeelectricity,becomingamorefeasibleoptionastheybecomecheaper(althoughtheyarestillveryexpensive).
YouneedtoapplyforSEIgrantsbeforeyou carry out the work and use one ofthe professionals registered on the SEIwebsite:“Weareusingregisteredpeopletoseethatthisisdoneproperly.Alotofstuffwasdoneinboomconditionsthatwasnotalwaystothebestofstandards;thathastostop,”saysLewis.H
Top leftThishousebyABKArchitectshasagreenroofandplentyofglassfornaturallightandsolargainTop centreTheterraceofahousebuiltbyHanseHausAboveTheinteriorofawell-insulatedGriffnerhouse–allowinginlotsofsunandnaturallight–designedbyIrisharchitectsWainMoreheadRightGriffnerHausinterior
So the bubblehasburst.Thetigerisdead,oratleast has gone into hibernation for a couple ofyearsand,itseems,weareallheadingforcover
withhim.Shareshavetakenahammeringandpropertyis no longer the banker that it once was sowe haveburied our heads in the sands of Ireland’s economyhopingtoseeasleepingbeastbelowandnotarottingcorpse.
But not everyone sees things this way. More andmorepeopleareseeingthisastheperfecttimetoinvestin somethinga little closer tohome; in fact, they areinvestinginthehomeitself.
As I write, architects seeking prices for buildingworkarereportingtenderreturnsofupto25percentbelowbudgetcostand,forthefirsttimeinyears,theyare experiencing no difficulties in finding buildingcontractors willing to tender. These are the perfectconditions in which we can add to that long-terminvestmentcalledthefamilyhome.
Mostpeoplewhoconsiderextendingtheirhomesee
thenegativesfirst.Will theygetplanningpermission?Is there really potential to extend? What about thedisruption?Whataboutthecost?Oftenthosewhogoaheaddo soonly because their needoutweighs theirfears, however many of them are surprised that theprocessturnsouttobealotlesspainfulthantheyhadanticipated.
If you use an architect, or an architect-led designteam if required, many of these questions can beanswered in a more positive tone than you mightexpect. The planning process, for instance, can beprotracted with decisions on appeal often extendingthe12-weekplanningperiodbyafurther18to36weekswiththeappealsboardhoweverindomesticsituationsappellantsarealmostuniversallyneighbourswhocanbeinvolvedindiscussionsbeforeevengoingforplanningpermissionandthatwillminimisethelikelihoodofanappeal.
It is worth keeping inmind too that the planningauthority will by default have a positive disposition
towards domestic extensions because it is in theinterests of good planning that people stay put andbuild communities rather than move on when theyneedmorespace.Thatisofcourseifyouneedplanningpermissioninthefirstplace.
In 2000 the planning regulations were relaxed toreducetheburdenonplanningauthoritiesbyexpandingthe criteria for exemption to include large proportionof small domestic extensions. Now, an extension totherearofadomestichousethathasn’talreadybeenextendedisexemptifitis40sq.m.orless(itusedtobe 23 sq.m.or less) andwith certain constraints thiscan be arranged over two floors.When you considerthatbeforetheintroductionoftheDOEstandardslastyeartheminimumsizeforaone-bedroomapartmentinsomecountycouncilswas38sq.m.youbegintorealisehow significant an area this is to construct with nostatutoryprocess,nodelayandnocapitalcontributions.Theconversionofagarageorshedtothesideorrearofahouseisalsoexempt.
Thequestionofpotentialtoextendcanbeansweredalmost universally with a positive. In 14 years ofprofessional practice I have never come across aproperty that could not be extended. We recentlysecuredpermission for a client to extend a tiny, one-bed city centre cottage that fronted straight onto thestreetandhadnomorethan8sq.m.ofopenspacetotherearandmorerecentlywehadanentirelypositivemeeting with Dublin City Council planning authorityconcerninganextensiontothesideofasmallendofterracedwelling inspiteof the fact that theextensionbreaksthebuildinglineofthestreetperpendiculartoit.Asnotedabove,ingeneraltheplanningauthoritywantsyoutostayput.
But what about the disruption? Any developmentcauses disruption and if you are going to extend thebestyoucando isplantominimisetheeffectof thatdisruptiononyouandyourfamily.Intruth,abuildingsiteisnoplaceforapersontoliveandwealwaysadviseourclientstomoveoutforthedurationoftheworks.Thatdurationcanbeanythingfromthreeto12monthsand,ifyoudon’thaveunderstandingrelativeswithlotsofsparebedrooms,youshouldbudget forrentingforthedurationoftheconstructionperiod.ThesedaystherentforathreebedroomapartmentinDublinisbetween€1,100and€2,500permonthwiththerateforhousessomewhathigherand,giventhatitfacilitatesaquicker,lessexpensivebuildandtheprotectionofyoursanity,intheoverallcontextofthejobthisismoneywellspent.
UndertheRIAIcontractyoucanalsoprotectyourselfagainst additional rent, and indeed any other costscausedbythebuildernotmeetinghisprogramme.The“liquidatedascertaineddamages”clauseinthecontractforcesthebuildertocoveranyexpensecausedbydelayssolongasitisagenuinecosttoyou(evaluatedbeforeconstruction and written into the contract) and it isgenuinelyhisdelay.
Allofwhichbringsusneatlytotheissueofcost.Inour experience the cost of a domestic extension canvarywidelydependingonthespecification,complexity,locationandsizeoftheprojectsothere’snopoint inapplyingaguidepricepersquaremeter,however,aftera quickwalk around and adiscussion regarding yourrequirements an architect should be able to give youaballparkconstructionfigureandadviseonplanningfees,capitalcontributionsandprofessionalfees.
Themoneyspentonawelldesignedrefurbishmentandextensiontoahomeshouldincreasethevalueofthat home by an equivalent amount but you shouldconsideradomesticextensionasaninvestmentinyourqualityoflifeasmuchasafinancialinvestmentinyourhome.Whenyouplanyourextension it is theperfecttimetoreconsidertheeverydaythingsthataffectyourqualityoflife.
Little things like laundry shoots, flatscreen TVs,hardwiredsurroundsound,under-sinkwastedisposalunits and central vacuuming systems can make ourlives that littlebiteasierandmoresignificantchoiceslikeusingsolarpanelsforheatingyourwater,choosingairtight construction with high levels of insulation,insulating your existing walls and roof and replacingexisting windows and doors can significantly reduceyour running costs while improving everyone’s livesin the long run by minimising your impact on theenvironment.
In many ways extending can be much moreenvironmentallyfriendlythanmovingtoalargerhouse.Usually trading up means moving further out thusincreasingcarbonemissionscausedby travellingandthe cost of trading up often means that there is nomoneylefttoadequatelyinsulatethelargerpropertyorinvestinsustainabletechnologiesforreducingrunningcostsandemissions.
It is true that sustainable livingstarts in thehomeandnexttimeyoufindthatyouneedmorespace,beforedeciding to relocate, consider reusing and recyclingyourhomeitselfandyoushouldbeabletoreduceyourenergyconsumptionintheprocess.H
house 7776 house extensions
AiR tiGhtnEss
Air tightness helps preventwarm air escaping and cold airentering your home. Draughtproofing improves air tightness byfilling in gaps. Further informationfrom the Air Tightness Testingand Measurement Associationwww.atma.org
A-RAtEd AppliAncEs All newhomeappliancesareA-Gratedthehigher the rating the more energyefficienttheappliance.
BREEAMIRELANDBREEAM (BRE Environmental
Assessment Method) is awell-established, widely usedenvironmentalassessmentmethodforbuildingswhichwillassessanddescribeabuilding’senvironmental
performance. More informationfromwww.breireland.ie
BoilERs Modern boilers arerequiredbylawtobeveryefficient.Ifyouhaveanolderboileryoumayfind it is not efficiently heatingyourhomeandwater.Aboilerwilltypicallylastfor15yearssofindoutwhen yours might need replacingandhowmuchamoreefficientonewould cost (grants are availablefromSEI).
CliMAtE chAnGEThe reason why we need to
reduceourCO2emissions.
cuRtAins When drawn closedatnight theyhelpcontainheat thethickerthefabricthemoreeffectivetheyare.
duRABility Durable materialsusedinyourhomesaveyoumoneyonreplacementsandmaintenance.When buying your home ask whatthe expected lifespan is of theroofing,windows,flooring,externalsurfacesandwhetheranymaterialsareunderwarranty.
EnERGy RAtinGsABuildingEnergyRating (BER)
is similar to the energy label for a
household electrical appliances.The label has a scale of A-G, withA-rated homes being the mostenergy efficient and G being theleast efficient. A BER certificate iscompulsory for all homes beingsoldorrented.Ifyouarebuyingorrenting a new house or apartmentnow, you are entitled to a BER sodo ask the seller/landlord or theagent for it. All new homes (evenwhennotforsale)musthaveaBERcertificatebeforetheyareoccupied.Moreinformationfromwww.sei.ie
REnEwABlE EnERGyRenewable energy comes fromsources which can be replenishedsuch as the sun and wood/trees.Renewableenergycanbegeneratedat home, reducing the amount ofenergy required from fossil fuels.These might include solar panels,biomass boilers or wind turbines.Grantsfortheseareavailable fromtheSEI.MoreinformationfromSolarEnergyIrelandatwww.solarireland.wordpress.com, the Irish WindEnergyAssociationatww.iwea.comandtheIrishBioenergyAssociationwww.irbea.org
FUTUREThe climate is changing. Will
your property be comfortableinside during periods of extremewarmthandorcold?Canroomsbeeasily ventilated and are they wellinsulated? Is the property in a lowfloodriskarea?
soil and vegetation and provide ahabitat for wildlife. They also reduceflood risk by absorbing rain. Moreinformation from the InternationalGreen Roof Association atwww.igra-world.com
HEAlthy livinGPartoflivingasustainablelifestyle
is about feeling good. Your homeandthe area around it can make a bigdifference to your health, comfortand well-being. Does the property getlots of natural daylight? How is freshair brought into the home and canventilation be controlled? Does theproperty have a recreational outdoorspace nearby?Are there allotments orcommunitygardensnearby? Is thereafarmer’smarketorboxdeliveryservicesellinglocallyproducedorganicfood?
InsulAtionOne of the easiest and most cost
effectivewaysto improveyourhome’senergy efficiency is to ensure it isadequately insulated to keep out thecoldandreducetheneedforheating.
JouRnEysBy walking, riding a bike or using
public transportyoucan improveyourhealth, the environment and savemoney.Choosingahomethatgivesyou
good access to public transport andreduces your need to travel is one ofthemostsignificantstepsyoucantaketowardsamoresustainablelifestyle.
KitchEnsOnlyboilasmuchwaterasyouneed.
Makesureyoude-scaleyourkettlesoitboilsmorequickly.Defrostyourfreezerregularlytomakeitrunmoreefficiently.Defrostyourfoodinthefridgeovernightinstead of cooking from frozen whichtakes longer. Keep the glass of yourovendoor cleanso youcaneasily seewhetherfoodisreadywithouthavingtoopen theovendoor,which losesheat.Usetherightsizepanontherightsizehob and put a lid on your panswhenyou’recookingtoretaintheheat.Chopvegetablesintosmallerpieces,sotheywillcookmorequickly.
LocAl coMMunityBuylocallyproduceditems,materials
and services, whenever possible. Thiswayyouwillhelpyourlocalcommunitybecomemore sustainable and reducetheneedfortransport.
MAnAGinG youR EnERGyUse Smart meters installed in
the home show you exactly what youarespendingonenergyandhelpsyoumake informed decisions about howto save money. Thermostatic controlsallowyoutocontroltheheatingineach
plasterandorganicpaintsarebetterforour health as they are notmade fromtoxicmaterials.
OnE plAnEtLivingOnePlanetLivingisaglobal
initiative based on 10 principles ofsustainabilitydevelopedbyBioRegionalandWWF.Ifeveryoneintheworldlivedlike an average European, we’d needthreeplanetstoliveon–orfiveifwealllived like an averageNorth American!www.oneplanetliving.org
PAssivhAusTheterm‘passivhaus’referstohighly
insulated, airtight houses which haveexcellent comfort conditions in bothwinter and summer. These principlescanbeappliednotonlytotheresidentialsector,asthenamesuggests,butalsotothecommercial,industrialandpublicbuildings.BRE,inpartnershipwiththepassivhaus Institut in Darmstadt, canprovidea completepassivhausdesignadviceserviceandcantapintoawealth
house 7978 house a-z
of design experience from Europe.BRE Ireland offers Certification forPassivhausfordomesticdwellings,offices, schools and industrialbuildings.www.breireland.ie
QuAntifiABlE
You’llbeabletoputafigureontheamount you’re savingby livingsustainably. Cost savings can beachieved by, for instance, havingsolarthermalpanelsfitted.
REcyclinGOver 80 per cent of our waste
canberecycledorreusedandmuchof it didn’t need to be created inthe first place. By recycling, lessnewmaterialsneedtobeextractedor harvested. It will also cut downon thewasteburied in thegroundin landfill sites where it producesgreenhousegases.
Switch it offIfyou’renotusingit,switchitoff
anddon’tleaveitonstandby.Thisisthe quickest, easiest and cheapestwaytosavemoneyandenergy.
TiMBER
Certified timber is a highlysustainable building material, asit is renewable and almost carbonneutral. More information fromthe Forest Stewardship Council atwww.fsc.org
thERMostAt Make sure yourwaterisn’ttoohot;noneedforittobehigherthan60oC.
UtilitiEsFind a green energy supplier
so you know your energy is fromsustainablesources.www.sei.ie
VEGEtABlEsHave a least one meat-free
meal a week. The UN’s Food andAgricultureOrganisation estimatesthatmeat production accounts fornearly a fifth of global greenhousegasemissions.Thesearegeneratedduring the production of animalfeeds,forexample,whileruminants,particularly cows, emit methane,which is 23 timesmore damagingas a global warming agent thancarbon dioxide. Compassion inWorld Farming has calculated thatif an average household halved itsmeat consumption that would cutemissionsmorethaniftheircarusewascutinhalf.
WAtER And wAstE
Taps with aerators or spraynozzles and showers designed forlowflowcanusearound50percentlesswatertoachievethesameeffectas conventional showers and taps.Flowrestrictionsandcheapdevicesfitted onto pipe work stop morewaterthannecessaryflowing.
UsinG hAlf A flush whenyoudon’tneedafullonesaves
water. Ask what size the cistern isandwhether a water-saving devicesuchasaSaveaFlushorHippohasbeenfitted.
Thinkabouthavingawaterbuttor rainwater recycling system andagreywater recycling system (thistreats water from baths, showersand basins and reuses it for toiletflushing). More information fromtheEnvironmentProtectionAgencyIrelandatwww.epa.ie
XERophytEs
Xerophytes are plants that
can withstand environments withlittle or no water. While plantingtrue xerophytes such as cacti andbromeliads may be too extremefor our climate, it’sworthplantingdrought tolerant plants such asrosemary and lavender to save onthewatering.
It’s their future that’s at stake.Dothey need to be on a computerfor hours on end or watching TV?At least ensure that they switchappliances off when they’vefinished. Give them an incentive,such as promising to give them aproportionofthehouseholdenergysavingsmadeover a year (as longastheypromisenottobuyanymoreelectricalappliances!)
ZERo tolERAncE on
wAstE! Information isavailable frommany organisationsincluding,onthebuiltenvironment,BRE.ContactDrEannaNolan,BREIreland, Enterprise AccelerationCentre, Limerick Institute ofTechnology,MoylishPark,Limerick.T:(061)448509, www.breireland.ie
For smaller kitchens,where a utility room is not available, he adviseskeepingthedesignsimplewithstraightlines,paredhandlesandflushdoorsandusingpalecoloursforunitsandamirrorasasplashback.
As the kitchen is the hub of anymodern home you need to get itrightfirsttime.Ailbhe MoloneyasksRossa Tormey of Tormey HoganArchitects how to design a kitchenthatiseconomical,eco-friendlyandeasytouse
Good lighting is essential, especially overcountertops, as is a good extractor fan. Tormeyadvises checking that materials used are frommanaged sources, for example; timber that carriesthe FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) markcomes from managed woodlands. For the kitchenfloor “there are some great recycled rubbersavailablesuchasDalnaturel fromDalsouple rubber(www.dalsouple.com).”
Tormeysuggestshavingthreewastebinsinapull-outunitunderyoursinktoalloweasyseparationofwasteforrecycling.Controversialforsome,butsmallwormeries are catching on for converting waste tocompost:“Goodonesareinsealedunits,don’tsmelland can be incorporated into the size of a kitchenunit,”saysTormey(seewww.wormery.ie).
From top to bottom: Flushpaintedkitchenwith70mmthickstoneworktops,€26,000;Wabi-SabiLtd,7DonoreRoad,Dublin8,www.wabi-sabi.ie SieMaticConcept10,€19,000;HouseworksinBelfast,DublinandCork,www.houseworks.ie LeichtfromBobBushellInteriors,Dublin,from€16,000,www.bushellinteriors.com TheStaturaispartoftheBlancorangefromDrumms.From€650;Drumms,NaasRoad,Dublin,www.drumms.ie AdelbirchkitchenwithFaktumframe,€2,525;IkeainBelfastandinDublinfromJuly,www.ikea.ie
house 8382 house kitchens
Signature Stairs
There are twomain aspects to a stairs in ahome:functionalityandappearance.Yetpeopleoftenjust
focusonfunctionality:gettinguptobed,thebathroomandusing thespaceunderneath tostore thevacuumcleaner. Stairs are sometimes thrown in on planswithoutmuch thought to the pitch, positioning, styleorbudget.
New trends see stairs becoming focal points in ahomeandareoneofonlyafewfeaturesofyourhousethatisusedseveraltimesaday.
When designing a home or renovating, the stairsshouldgettheirfairshareofattentionandbudget.Thisisnotsomethingthatwillchangeeasilywhenyoumovein so a little forward thinkingwill go a longway.Onwww.signaturestairs.ie the ‘Planning a stairs’ sectiondetailsthethingsyoushouldweighupbeforestartingandsomeofthepitfallsthatcanbeavoidedattheearlystages. In the ‘stairs anatomy’ section of the samesite you can familiarise yourself with the terminologyof stairs so you know what stair manufacturers arespeakingaboutwhenyougototheirshowrooms.
The Irish-made Signature Stairs range is designedtomakeastatement.Eachstairhasacombinationoffunctionalityanddesign.
Asenseofluxuryandopennessisachievedthroughtheuse of stainless steel and glass balustrades, free-
standing glass gallery railing, central spine stringers,openrisersandgoodtimberfinishes.
The predominant use of glass in the balustradesgivesstairsadistinctivelookaswellasbringingmuchmore light into a room. It canopenout ahall ratherthancloseitoffordarkenit.Whilemanyfeelitisaverycontemporary feature,SignatureStairssaysglassandstainlesssteelfitequallywell inmore traditionalstylehomes too. Being able to see through your stairs orgalleryareameansthattheotherfeaturesofthehome,suchaspicturewindows,wallcolours,bookcasesandsoon, arenot hiddenor obstructed. SignatureStairscustomiseseachstairtothehomeitisgoinginto.
With the correct lighting a Signature Stairs canbecomeanimpressivefeatureatnightbyusingcolouredwall lights over the steps and floor lighting directedupwardsunderopen-risestairs.
Stairscanvarywildly inpricedependingonqualityandwhatyouaretryingtoachievesoit’sbesttotakeapracticalapproach.Ifyourstairsarehiddenawayandservelargelyafunctionalpurposethenyoudon’thaveto spendahuge amountofmoney. If they are in themiddleofyourhallandaregoingtobeviewedandusedconstantlythenputsomethoughtintothemandallocateabiggerbudget.Startingfromabout€10,500SignatureStairs are aimed predominately at homeowners whowanttomakeastatement.
forwhatisnowanarchitecturalmasterpiecewithaverysmallcarbonfootprint”,saysGerardDuffyofEurotechGroup.“Damienmadeitveryclearfromtheoutsetthathe wanted a house which allowed nature in, both inlight andheatwith absolutelyno relianceonburningfossilfuels.”
The design focused on creating a heating systemusing geothermal and solar air heating for the entirehouseincludinghotwaterandtheswimmingpool.
By integrating the latest technology OVI (OchsnerVapour Injection) and EET (Electronic ExpansionTechnology)itwaspossibletogenerate65°cflowwithonly geothermal energy. Kingspan Solar Panels of12sqmwasalsoincludedfromanAframesystemontheflatroofandfullheatrecoveryventilationfromtheKingspan system. The intelligent Eurosmart ControlSystem co-ordinates all energy sources and providesroombyroomcontrolincludingensuitesfromasinglekeypadwithsimpleoperationandfeatures.
TheEurosmartsystemoffersautomaticoptimisationonthestartandstoptemperaturerequiredineachroomandalsoweatherguidestheflowtemperatureintoeachcircuit. Overheating is prevented by a pulse input toeachzoneviatheEurotechSmartFloorHeating;floortemperatures never exceed body temperature leavingthesystemapleasuretolivewith.
Gerardsays,“byhavinganarchitectwhowasclearlyfocused on conserving energy allowed for designfeatureswhicharenowplayingasignificantpartintheoverallresultwhichisbothexcitinganddeserved”.
“The real achievement by the architect in myopinion,” says Duffy is the ability of the architect touse available solutions to develop such a large scaleprojectwithaverylowimpact.Teamworkhasbecomemore important thaneverandpooling resourcesandexperience will deliver outstanding results with theforesightofArchitectslikeDamienMurtaghwhomustbecongratulated.
It was both a pleasure and a privilege to havecontributedtothisandIencourageotherarchitectstotake the opportunity to deliver sustainable buildingswhich include focused architectural design, this is agift for life to their clients to appreciate everyday.WemaynotchangetheworldbutonthisprojectDamienMurtaghArchitectshavebrokenthemould.
News
Developments at Shane Holland Design Workshops
Shane Holland Design createdand installed the largest diameter
chandelier in Ireland measuring5,3 metres at Portlaoise Church inNovember 2008. Shane HollandDesign sees constant possibilities inthe energy efficient lighting productsand has actively promoted this via
www.energysavingbulbs.ie which isconstantly testing new types of leds,cfls,coldcathodeandslimfluorescentproductsforthemostgeneralofclients.All schools, hospitals, hotels, offices,shopsandhomesneedtolookatusingthe available technology to cut costs.www.shanehollanddesign.comH
www.energysavingbulbs.ie is an Irish online retailer of compact fluorescents, candles, spotlights, tubes and LEDs for excellent prices + nationwide nextday delivery to your door.
Unit 11c, Duleek Business Park, Co. Meath Tel: 041 9882220
Creative Metals
CreativeMetals provides custommetal fabricationand design for interiors and exteriors. Providing
services such as custom staircases, custom furnitureandcustomrailings,itdeliverstimelessdesignsinanymetalincludingstainlesssteel,steel,cast-iron,copperandbrass.CreativeMetalsbegantradingin2000andwasstartedbyNiallBeachwhobeganhisdesigncareerincarpentryin1988.CreativeMetals’firstmajorprojectcamewhenNiall was contracted to design and builda custom staircase and copper building façade for amajorDublincompany.
CreativeMetalshassinceexpanded itsserviceandprovidesmanyotherservices includingcustommetalfurnituredesignandevenshop-frontdesign.Theyworkin virtually any material including any type of metal,glass, stone, wood and even plastics to deliver theperfect design for any requirement. Niall has alwaysenjoyedchallengingprojects,whichrecentlydrovehimtodesigna“heli-coil”staircase.Thestaircaseactuallyholdsitselfupwithoutanyadditionalsupport.CreativeMetals designs and fabricates stairways, balustradesand balcony railings for all sorts of commercial ordomestic projects. Any shape, size and design usinganymaterialscanbeaccommodatedandthecompanycanevenintegratewood,stoneandglasselements.
Stairs and Co
Stairs and Co (pictured below), which is run byNiall Moriarty who has been in the construction
sector for threedecadesandremembersexhibitingatthefirstPlanExpo25yearsago,sellsanumberofstairranges including the impressiveMarretti range, fromItaly. The company designs and makes stairs in itsTuscanybasewhichitsetup40yearsago.
Thestairsaremadeinmaterialssuchastimber,glassandsteelandthedetailingisimpressive.Thecompanyisfamilyrunandthatfamilyincludessomeoneontheproduction side and someone in design so designsolutionscanbebroughttoanyissuesinproduction.
Sunparadise are Switzerland’s leading bespoke Aluminium glazing
company. Sunparadise’s unique portfolio has been designed and
engineered to rigorous Swiss quality standards whilst maintaining a
contemporary look and feel.
The entire Sunparadise range is manufactured in one hi-tech factory
under the guidance of experienced engineers ensuring full technical and
aesthetic integration. Whether you are looking for a simple set of folding
or sliding doors, or a complete bespoke wintergarden construction, you
will receive the highest level of service and quality assurance.
Sunparadise has developed a reputation for a professional and
expeditious service in a responsive manner at competitive prices. Unlike
many of our competitors we offer a complete design and installation
service including full site survey and technical CAD drawings for every
project.
Sunparadise is committed to providing the highest possible level of
thermal efficiency to meet the latest global requirements for energy
reduction. As all of our products are constructed from aluminium they
are also 90% recyclable.
An attractive lightweight sliding system.
An odd number of panels ceate a natural pass door for easy access. Even numbers of
panels can also be split to provide this facility.
Maximum opening with minimum number of doors. The strength of
aluminium allows for door panels of up to w120cm ensuring you can
have the least number of doors for the opening.
Supertherm80 profiles can be adapted to
accommodate vertical glass to glass junctions
(silicon jointed) to ceate an impressive glass wall.
Large fixed panels above this
folding door create a
contemporary look.
A single track sliding door capable of turning corners.
Supertherm80 is a unique system with exceptionally low u values.
Bespoke Aluminium Glazing from SUNPARADISE
DESIGN FLOW EDIT.3 19/06/2009 17:44 Page 1
Glenvale kitchens, who arebased in thesmallborder townofKeady,havewontheNational
KBB Industry Awards. It was a designcreated by Darren Morgan, one of theGlenvale team, that secured GlenvaleKitchens national recognition and wonDarrentheprestigioustitleof“DesigneroftheYear2009”.
TheKBBawardsareopen to interiordesigners, architects and independentkitchen andbathroom retailers fromallacross theUK and Ireland and attractsthe biggest names in the kitchen andbathroomindustry.
Forthefirsttimeinthe15yearhistoryof theawardsallof thedesigncategoryfinaliststravelledtotheRoyalInstituteofBritishArchitectsinLondonsothattheycouldpresent their design inperson toajudgingpanelof industryexperts.ThejudgessaidofDarren’swinningdesign:“Thiskitchenrepresentssuchgreatvalueformoney.It’sveryfunctionalandDarrenhas come up with some really goodsolutions to a challenging space. It’s atechnicallyexcellentjobandisveryclientspecific.Giventhespaceandthebudgethe’smaximizedeverythingfantastically.”
Allthefinalistsattendedtheblacktieawardceremonyon11thMayatExCeLinLondon. Marcus Brigstocke, comedianandhost fortheevening,presentedtheawardtoDarren,whosaid,“Everyoncein a while something special happensandwinning the KBBReview awards isoneof thosetimes.Winningthisawardisthehighlightofmycareertodateandit is also a real embellishment for theentireGlenvaleteam.Imayhavecreated
Established 15 years ago asGlenvaleDesign, the company refocused itselfthreeyearsagoandwasre-launchedasGlenvaleKitchens.TheyarenowoneoftheleadingkitchendesigncompaniesinIreland.
AidanMcCooey,proprietorofGlenvaleKitchens, said. “We are all so proud ofwhatwehave achieved. I havebelievedfor a long time that Glenvale Kitchenshas one of the best design teams inthe industry and we have finally beenrecognised. This is the first time thatwe have ever put ourselves forward forsomethinglikethisandit’sgreattocomeoutontop.”
Glenvale Kitchens have 18 kitchenson display in their showrooms, manyof which are fully functional, and theyinclude several examples of their own“Dynamically Different Range”. Thisis a range of individually designed andcommissioned kitchen furniture byGlenvale.
doorsB + Gwww.applications.ieKelly Brotherswww.kellybrothers.ieProduktwww.produkt.ieWindow and Door Store www.wds.ie
fireplaces and radiatorsDimpcowww.dimpco.ieGalway Gas www.galwaygas.ieHearth and Home www.hearthandhome.ieHeating Distributorswww.heatingdistributors.comHudevad Radiators www.hudevad.co.uk
flooringAnticawww.antica.ieForbo Ireland www.forbo.comIn-Housewww.in-house.ieMunster Carpets www.munstercarpets.comPJ Ryan Terrazzo Ltd. www.ryanterrazzo.ieProdukt www.produkt.ieRug Art www.rugart.ieThe Hardwood Flooring Companywww.thehardwoodfloorcompany.ieWilsons Conservation Building Productswww.wilsonsyard.com
gardensBellissima Furniture www.bellissima.ieDoylescapes www.doylescapes.ieelma Fenton Landscape Design www.elmafenton.ieFormality at the Cowshed www.formalityonline.como’Driscoll Designs www.odriscolldesigns.comowen Chubb Landscaperswww.owenchubblandscapers.comThe Garden escape www.thegardenescape.com
timberLeisure Decking Systems www.leisuredeckingsystems.comShomera www.shomera.ie
windows & doorsAluglass www.aluglass.ieFuture Fold www.futurefold.comSt. Gobain www.saint-gobain.co.ukMarvin Architectural www.marvin-architectural.comNordan Vindeur www.nordan.ieProdukt www.produkt.ieRationel Windows Ltd www.rationel.comReynaers Ltd www.reynaers.comSolarlux www.solarlux.co.ukSun Paradise www.sunparadise.ieVelux www.velux.comVrogrum www.vrogrum.dkWeser Fenster Lange GmbH. www.weser-fenster.comWindow and Door Store www.wds.ie
sustainableeco eng www.eco-eng.ieeurotech www.eurotech-heating.comHeatmaster www.heatmaster.ieThermohouse www.thermohouse.ieUnipipe www.unipipe.ieVelux Windows www.velux.com
