Infill Housing & Rectory at Purser Gardens

The corner site, previously accommodating a single house, is located in a context of C19th Georgian houses characteristic of Dublin’s south inner suburbs and with a direct relationship to the affiliated Holy Trinity Church (1828) by John Semple. The client brief was to create a small development to house parish members, their families and community members in need, delivered through an innovative mechanism of rental income at affordable rates to pay back development costs and raise parish funds, all underscored by a strong wish to increase affordable housing supply. A discrete, ordered architectural language, robust materiality and reductive detailing, balance respectful response to context with the creation of a new independent identity.

The core design challenges were: -Achieving density without impacting dwelling quality and amenity -Reflecting the ethos of the client - ‘A community dedicated to parish and city renewal’ -Responding appropriately to the historic context -Securing the planning authority’s and local residents’ support for a modern intervention -Delivery of design intent within very tight budget constraints. The design strategy focused on the creation of an architecture of clear identity and character, with a considered and respectful response to site and context. A terrace of 3 townhouses establishes a primary frontage, responding directly to the scale and form of surrounding Georgian housing, with the new rectory articulating the corner and forming a direct dialogue with the Church opposite. The greater articulation of the 2nd volume reflects the divergent duplex typology and the less structured context. Central consideration of sustainable density derives from the brief but also a particular design intent to address the need for varied house typologies in the city, and specifically in established neighbourhoods. The sectional organization (an inversion of a late C19th large Dublin house type), extended dual frontage through living spaces throughout, innovative treatment of open spaces (shared entrance forecourt/ parking, shared rear gardens, large private screened terraces), passive overlooking of shared/ public spaces while addressing overlooking and privacy to neighbours, allow delivery of a density of 63 dwellings/ ha. Through all stages open engagement and communication with all stakeholders were maintained. Liaison with local residents helped diffuse perceptions of modernity and higher density as inappropriate, the finished building now fully accepted by the wider community.

The design provides: High quality, attractive, functional, accessible, future adaptable, liveable dwellings. Long term sustainability, embodying the principles of NetZero with holistic consideration ranging from good urban design, use of an infill site, to energy performance and carbon reduction. A BER (Irish compliance with EU EPBD) A rating is achieved through: -Careful detailing of a high-performance (heat loss and air leakage) façade/ envelope/ glazing -Cold bridging analysis and elimination -High quality low carbon materials to reduce embodied carbon and increase building life cycle -Reduced energy demand through renewable sources/ efficient energy use/ sources (air to water heat pumps), heating emitter via underfloor heating and low temperature radiators, demand control ventilation, maximised natural daylighting, LED lighting -Water conservation devices, SUDs/ attenuation through sedum roofs and permeable paving. Low maintenance, longevity, cost optimisation and value for money through: -Fabric/ material selection (cavity wall, clay brick, timber screens, anodised aluminium window frames) -Structure in load bearing masonry, precast concrete floors for acoustic and fire separation purposes, steel framing to provide open layouts, cast in situ concrete with 50% GGBS -Robust building envelope detailing of proven durability -Avoidance of complex components/ unpredictable supply chains. Economy is achieved through inventive design and allocation of budget where it is most effective and appreciated, and not through reduction in quality.