Architecture
Client: Private Individuals
Location: Moyne, Longford
Procurement: Direct Labour
It was the wish of the client to create a 2 storey 5-bedroom dwelling house with an open plan living space with concealed pantry, separate sitting room and playroom for the children, master bedroom with en-suite and walk-in-wardrobe, office space on ground floor and ancillary service spaces. It was also their intention to have an attached garage that could have the potential to change to living space/granny annex in the future.
382
Area (m2)
30
Duration (months)
Cluster House
The chosen site was on high ground and exposed to the elements. Having a good knowledge of Longford County Council development plan and rural design guidelines; I felt that a house of this scale and mass (382m2) would need to be broken down into a medley of smaller buildings in order to disguise the mass of the building, reduce the overall height, and conform to the planning requirements of the county. In the Longford County Development Plan – Development Management Standards – Rural Housing DMS 16.88 (G) states that ‘larger houses (e.g. in excess of 200sqm) should incorporate design solutions to minimise visual mass and scale e.g. sub-divided into small elements of traditional form to avoid bulky structure.’
Plans & Drawings
Through the design brief I wanted the open plan living space to gain from east, south and west light and to allow both the open plan living space and playroom fall out onto a south/west joiner patio space. I felt it important on such an exposed site that the entrance lobby would be protected from gale force winds. While laying out the private and public blocks of the dwelling house I realised the most logical place to enter the dwelling house would be in between these blocks. By kinking the open plan living block and pulling the blocks apart it would create a more interesting and inviting entrance lobby and produce an intermediate circulation space between the blocks; encouraging separation between the private and public internal realms. The entrance lobby benefits from east, south and west light.
Through the layout of a three-block floor plan a courtyard is created, providing a sense of intrigue while approaching the entrance and providing visual links through the courtyard to each block.
I was involved in the process from initial concept to completion. I designed the house, submitted the planning application and drafted tender drawings. The client took on the duty of procurement and project management of trades. I was available for pro-rata consultation throughout the build.
During the tender drawing process, as a rule, we send our design drawings to consultants involved in the manufacture of pre-cast concrete floor slabs. We do this as internal walls may need to be increased in size to take the pre-cast slabs and in turn wider foundations required. We also liaise with an energy consultant who provides information on how the dwelling house will meet the requirements of Part L of the building regulations. We then base our tender drawings on the information provided by the specialists.
Prior to the commencement of the build, it was the wishes of the clients to ask permission off the council to potential change both the south facing window in the open plan space and the master bedroom to arched glazing. Initially planning had been granted for rectangular windows. We drafted up the new proposal and liaised with Longford County Council on the visual alteration to the exterior windows and the changes were approved by the planning department. We proceeded to alter the tender drawings to suit.
After breaking ground, it was the decision of the engineer and contractor that the site ground conditions would lend themselves more to a raft foundation as opposed to a traditional strip foundation due to the presence of high-level rock and that less rock breaking would be required to facilitate a raft foundation. I drafted the new raft foundations and they were approved by the engineer. As a rule, we will always take the wishes of the client on board and do everything in our power to achieve the needs of the client balanced with practical and aesthetically lead architecture advice. This in turn creates a harmony between client requirement and good architectural design. In regards to the arched windows I felt they would enhance the overall design of the dwelling house by adding a unique fenestration feature, I promoted the idea and got a positive result through the planning department. I also took from the process of this build the importance of trusting in the knowledge of specialist consultants.