Country Home with a Modern Twist

The rural area of Garranacanty is located on the outskirts of Tipperary Town – an area of the county known for its glorious mountainous scenery, rich history and fabled folklore. The area is also known for its rich architectural history which is evident in the form of period style country houses, old farmsteads, castles, tower houses and stone build churches.  

On first inspection, we noted that the site offered significant potential in terms of its location, scale and size, topography and key features. A cluster of traditional agricultural buildings are situated in proximity to the southern boundary of the site and a local road lies adjacent to the western boundary. We noted the prevalence of mature hardwood trees that lined the western, northern and eastern boundaries – these boundaries created a greater sense of privacy whilst also facilitating a wild natural habitat.

A common occurrence in the Irish rural landscape is the prevalence of nondescript bungalows, two storey dwellings and ribbon development – the above planning anomalies were evident within a 250-meter radius of the site interior. It was our intention to create a design that counteracts the poor planning and design decisions that were enacted for this region. The brief was to design a two-storey dwelling which showcases the fundamental elements of traditional Irish architecture.

An arduous design process resulted in the presentation of an unconventional plan form primarily consisted of a central core and two major wings and two ancillary wings. The finished design consists of a sitting room, foyer, open plan kitchen, dining and living areas, music room, utility, guest bedroom, bathroom and ancillary areas on the ground floor. The upper floor consists of a master bedroom, study, three double bedrooms, bathroom, en-suites, stairwell, double height void and ancillary areas on the first floor.

The various forms and wings of the building create an interesting build shape which is synonymous of traditional or period style country homes. Also, the unconventional building form creates various outside spaces, patio and courtyard areas whilst also forming a complex yet aesthetic roof structure which is dressed in natural slate. The elevations have a rich architectural style which is achieved by the varied use of various materials such as limestone cladding, larch cladding and bright white render.