January 2017 - Allan Curran Architects

Archive for January, 2017

Refurbishment, renovation and extension of 1980s dwelling located Co. Fermanagh

Posted January 27, 2017 by Allan Curran Architects

As part of the refurbishment a good portion of the existing ground floor was reconfigured to put a kitchen/dining space at the southern gable with an increased window size to maximise the light and the view. The old kitchen was turned into a “winter snug” that was separated physically from the garden room with a screen but this was glazed to maintain a visual connection and once again to maximise the southern light, feeding as many spaces as possible.

Existing interiors of dwelling

refurbished main living room

The first floor bedrooms and dressing areas were also reconfigured to give two top quality bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms and additional storage space.

New extension to rear of dwelling

View of new glazing to extension

We have a growing awareness, as we pull ourselves out of the recession and start to build again, that there is a distinct shortage of sub-contractors. The contractor, Stephen Farry, has done his best to keep to the programme but is continually delayed by the sub-contractors, who, in turn, are stretched to meet the growing demand while honouring long standing relationships. In short, delays that we are experiencing on many jobs are nobody’s fault, just a symptom of a general shortage of skilled labour.

In this, and many other cases, we are left to rely on the clients understanding and tolerance. So far that has been forthcoming and the work is proceeding, albeit at a slower pace than hoped for.

Refurbished bathroom

Refurbished Dressing Room

Refurbishment, renovation and extension to existing 1980s dwelling located in Co. Fermanagh

Posted January 20, 2017 by Allan Curran Architects

In the early designs it was envisaged that the refurbishment needed to include a half or two storey extension to accommodate the client’s brief which gave the extension a form similar to the existing but with a much more contemporary feel. However, when they revised their brief the reduced accommodation could be incorporated into a single storey. Adding a single storey extension to the existing format of the refurbishment was problematic without using a flat roof, which the Client wanted to avoid. We therefore devised a delta wing roof which, as well as avoiding a flat roof solution, gave us a number of positive contributions to the project. It provided a clear distinction between old and new while a deep overhang created much needed shadowing for the wall of glass that was important to the Client in order to link the garden room to the landscaped patios and beyond.

To further accentuate the separation between traditional and contemporary the “garden room” extension is to be clad in natural cedar contrasting with the heavier wet dashed block work of the existing dwelling. The refurbishment and extension are designed to passive house levels of airtightness and insulation.

Refurbishment of 1980s dwelling – Delta wing roof taking shape.

Refurbishment and extension of 1980s dwelling – block work and steel to Pavilion extension

Refurbishment, renovation and extension to existing 1980s dwelling located in Co. Fermanagh

Posted January 13, 2017 by Allan Curran Architects

As Enniskillen architects we were approached by a Client looking to start a refurbishment project. He had purchased an existing 1980’s dwelling to which he wanted to add more reception areas, to make best use of the south facing aspect and to modernise the existing building, all in a very short time frame.

The project was to be carried out in two phases, the first was to make changes to the existing house to make it habitable and allow the clients to vacate their old house. The second phase involved an extension to the rear but a key question quickly arose, how to join old to new. It was agreed that it was important, visually, to differentiate between the two so the design for the second phase called for a departure from the traditional style of the existing building and one which also allowed the clients to put their own mark on their future home.

Front of existing 1980s dwelling before refurbishment

Rear of existing 1980s dwelling before refurbishment

It was very important to resolve this issue quickly in order to get the design into the planning system and keep the project on schedule. At the same time the issue was so fundamental that rushing it wasn’t an option. The essence of the layout involved bringing the garden to the southwest into play as an outside extension of the new ‘garden room’. This was to be the area where friends and family would gather but it would also be an area from which you could view both old and new together so it needed careful consideration.

We discussed it with our client, changed it around a fair bit and eventually came up with a very different solution.

1980s refurbishment early design