Mock Mansions

The ability to design requires abstraction. It requires that you remove yourself from associations. For example, below is a series of watercolours painted in Georgia O'Keefee Country in New Mexico featured in my book Placing Architecture. They describe a progression, from left to right, of my letting go of what I understood the canyon edge to be until reaching the point when I began to paint purely what I saw.

The reason why I mention my profound experience in New Mexico is because when I view the Irish housing built in the countryside during the last economic boom I think people did not truly see what they were buying or commissioning. I think people see an association, a deep rooted cultural longing for ownership of the Georgian country manor. Look at our cars, their designs have evolved, we don't drive to work nostalgically in a horse drawn carriage? In Irish politics we hear lots about sovereignty. Why can't we as a nation emancipate ourselves with our buildings?

Concrete kills traditional build

My intention in driving up into the Silvermines region in North Tipperary was to gather material on cottage decorations. I was intrigued by previous trips because up until then I had seen cottages as bare essentials - walls, windows, door and roof. But cut off in the heart of the Silvermines the people have decorated their cottages in all sorts of different and appealing ways. Here are just some examples.

           

As I drove deeper and deeper into the region I came across one abandoned house after another; single dwellings, whole farms, schools, even a factory. On one stretch of road I counted over 10 ruins. It was overwhelmingly sad.

Why had entire communities left? Another recession? And if so, why didn't they refurbish them when economic prosperity returned? Mary Ryan from the shop in Kilcommon had some answers. She explained that people built new houses instead and deemed the old to be damp, cold and unusable for modern life.

In my view traditional building techniques had clearly not been understood. Concrete was rendered over the stone walls and because concrete is not a breathable material this causes moisture to be trapped in the houses. Condensation builds up creating a haven for moulds and fungi and soon the house becomes damp and unhealthy to live in.

I find these old buildings beautiful. They have lovely proportions, materials that age gracefully and are usually sensitively set into the landscape. So why not marry the old ways with the new. By understanding the traditional buildings techniques, breathable lime mortars, principles of ventilation, natural materials, these buildings could be revitalised. With new extensions added modern spacial requirements can be fulfilled making the best of both worlds - the old and the new.

Here is an example of how an old cottage can be given a new lease of life. It is located near Upperchurch and was recently completed for the Challen & Ryan family by the architects O'Neill Consulting.

 

The Office

To start the New Year and before I comment on more architectural highlights in our environs, I would like to introduce you to our office; a large open-plan space of seventy square meters creating a vibrant working atmosphere with views over Lough Derg and most importantly a coffee station in the middle!