Completed December 2023. This "over-the-shop" project consisted of the total renovation & extension of a three-storey derelict Edwardian building dating to 1906. The existing building was transformed into a new restaurant unit at ground floor and two generous apartments designed for long-term living at first & second floor.
We worked closely with the developer who purchased the building at auction, allowing them to make a significant “100-year” investment in its re-development. Our strategy was to return to the building’s original form and generosity, and extend & adapt to fit a new programme developed through historical research and early engagement with the local authority which facilitated a straightforward planning process.
The first floor was extended & re-configured to accommodate a 75 m2 two-bedroom apartment designed around an open courtyard. A 60 m2 one-bedroom apartment at second floor is provided with a large roof terrace over the carefully crafted extension below. Generous bicycle parking is provided at ground floor for apartment residents. The location near high-quality public transport allowed exemption from parking requirements.
Guidance on the redevelopment was found in the Department of Housing’s “Bringing Back Homes” publication, although the nature of the mixed-use scheme added significant complexity relating to fire, structure and building services. Fire safety required the apartments be lobbied and the building split into compartments. Structural regulations required this mid-terrace building to become structurally independent.
The landlocked site condition necessitated the use of the ground floor as a yard for the duration of the build, influencing the decision to design the building’s extension as a simple steel-frame and blockwork structure. This low-tech strategy also facilitated a wider pool of contractors to bid for the project increasing the competitivity of tenders.
The Energy Strategy involved the combination of heat pumps and Demand Control Ventilation systems. Thermal improvements to the existing fabric involved the refurbishment of the building’s original timber sash windows at the front, installation of new double-glazed windows to the rear and triple-glazed aluminium windows in the new extension and restaurant unit. The new extension was externally insulated with a charred timber rain screen, while the existing masonry building was re-pointed with breathable lime mortar and insulated internally, between floors and attic level. This strategy brought the building’s BER from a D1 to an A3.
Featured in a talk at Design Pop 2023.
Maremoto Architects • Design Pop • September 3rd 2023
Featured in a site visit and discussion with the Architectural Association of Ireland, 2022.
AAI Site Visit: Lochtáin Spéire • December 3rd 2022
Featured in a talk on Urban Vacancy and town-centre renewal as part of the Architecture at the Edge festival, 2022. Supported by the Arts Council.
Above the shop • Architecture at the Edge • October 6th 2022
