Architects' Studio

The studio is the realisation of a long-term plan for a home-based workplace, a freestanding extension to a late-Georgian terraced house. A simple rectangular plan, with an irregular bite taken out to protect the roots of two birch trees planted 30 years ago. The built form provides a destination at the foot of the garden. The studio is a shed-like structure, a sloping roof to protect views to the dome of Rathmines church, mono-pitched over a single if slightly complex volume, creating two negative spaces, side garden and sunken court, exploiting the level difference between street and lane.

The existing Georgian house was built in 1830s, with strict planning and conservation controls on new building within the curtilage of a protected structure and in close proximity to a 19th century church with a monumental dome. The built form makes minimal intrusion on the conservation setting of adjoining houses, a sensitive addition to its context. Existing boundary walls and trees are protected, important view-lines are maintained. The lower studio is wrapped around the existing birches and opens onto a sunken court. The mezzanine studio faces towards the rear and dome of the church. Two workspaces meet in the middle around a kitchen and stove. There are no corridors or wasted area, a functional plan with different kinds of space and volumetric variety within the limits of a 60sqm structure. The studio was painstakingly constructed to a precise geometry by a dedicated builder, one skilled craftsman responsible for most work, coordinating plumbing, electrics, metalwork and joinery.

The studio was designed to exploit natural daylight and ventilation in all areas, with heating via an air-to-water heat pump. It was built of natural materials for long term durability and minimal to no maintenance. Construction began with a concrete footprint, a retaining structure to allow to dig down into the site. Above this 900mm concrete datum, the superstructure is Douglas Fir timber, heavily insulated and externally clad with hand-laid brick and a black zinc roof. The use of fair-faced concrete was minimal, the main material being locally sourced structural timber. Angled brick specials resolve the corner geometries, with no bricks cut on site. The studio is designed to accommodate future change and to foster multigenerational functionality. Spaces are planned to allow change of use to residential. It is a prototype for sustainable intensive development of Dublin’s underused back lanes, proposing a flexible and adaptable densification of the downtown residential plot.