Pavilion House
A new house for a couple replaces a bungalow which existed on the same site. The new dwelling utilises a large pitched roof profile with terracotta tiles, reflecting the strongest feature of the three neighbouring houses. The triangular site informed our decision to provide additional space to the front of the house. This is achieved by adding a smaller, pitched roof pavilion, which houses a guest bedroom for visiting children and grandchildren. All rooms enjoy a different view of the gardens, which are landscaped in various ways to include an orchard, kitchen garden, lawn, patios, dry garden and wild garden.
Subtle level changes within the house and gardens follow the contours of the sloping site. Exposed, board-marked concrete is used for the retaining walls of the gardens and the chimney breasts, which are structural elements that support the main roof. A mezzanine living room has a large window overlooking Dublin Bay and views over the ground floor living spaces. The exposed Douglas Fir rafters of both roofs are lit by large roof lights, creating a warm and atmospheric sense of enclosure.
The pavilion is expressed as a miniature version of the main house and is connected to the dining area via a glazed corridor. Unlike the main house, with its masonry walls, the pavilion is constructed almost entirely from solid Douglas Fir posts and beams. Window frames are concealed behind the posts to create the appearance of an open frame. The corridor forms a threshold between house, garden and pavilion and accommodates the levels changes in between.
