The clients for this project work in the arts and their lives and plans change quite erratically, because of this they wished to create a home which felt like a refuge and reflected and enhanced their creative lifestyles. They were adamant that the home must operate with a low environmental impact, be constructed with as much sustainable materials as possible and capitalise on the breathtakingly wild location overlooking Lough Gill.

The existing building consisted of a split-level home which was a typical concrete block cavity wall construction. Unfortunately this was so badly built that it was impossible to retain any of the original structural elements. However, we did design the brief to work with the existing split-level and kept the footprint primarily on what was built upon originally. This reduces any potential disruption to the existing biodiversity in the area.

The proposed design of this home aims to give the client space to appropriate themselves, as a greenhouse/leisure/dining space, while also being part of a larger environmental approach. The glazed areas in the living areas offer a number of different temperature/light control options for various times of the year and day. (as per Concept Diagram). That being said, the greenhouse style of architecture is not just for aesthetic value, but offers a very good, alternative, innovative, passive energy system.

The new structure is made of mass timber, avoiding the use of carbon intensive materials where possible. Internal finishes emphasise this selection of natural materiality with clay plasters, Kilkenny limestone, cork flooring and exposed timber structures. This internal natural material palette, coupled with the extensive glazing of the new home, creates a strong relationship to the beautifully wild environment surrounding this dwelling. On the other hand, the external charred timber coupled with large overhangs allows the building to blend into its surroundings creating a true sense of refuge when within the home.

Images : NOJI