architect Archives - Allan Curran Architects

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Irish Intercounties Surfing Championship – 50 year anniversary

Posted October 10, 2018 by Allan Curran Architects

This weekend sees the 50 year celebration of the Irish Intercounties Surfing Championship at Rossnowlagh, Co. Donegal and while I didn’t arrive on the scene until year four I have great memories of the event and of its founder, the late Brian Britton.

I had known Brian and his brothers since we were kids playing in the sand dunes in Rossnowlagh but we drifted apart during school and university years. We got together again in 1972 when Brian led a small army of European surfers up from County Clare where he had organised Ireland’s first hosting of the European Surfing Championships. We had a shared passion for surfing that took us around the world representing Irish surfing as competitors, managers and organisers. Brian’s boundless energy, efficiency and his attention to detail took him on to become President of the Irish Surfing Association, President of the European Surfing Federation and Vice-President of the world’s governing body, the International Surfing Association.

I shall attend his memorial dinner next Saturday at the Intercounties and will no doubt, with many others, recall the great times we had on the world’s beaches from Lisbon to Lahinch, from Sydney to Strandhill and from Rio back to Rossnowlagh and the Irish Intercounties. His passing is not only a great loss to his family and friends but to the world of surfing.

Roci

Image 1 – Lorraine Quinn, (nee Walls), with Quarterdeck playing in the Surfers Bar at the Intercounties early in the 1980’s.

Image 2 – Brian in full flow welcoming the world’s surfers to an Irish Party in Rio de Janerio, 1996.

1. Quarterdeck, Surfers Bar

2. Brian Britton, 1996

Allingham Arms Hotel, Bundoran

Posted October 5, 2018 by Allan Curran Architects

Under the new GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) we have been trawling through old files, before committing them to the shedder and we came across this old photograph of the Allingham Arms Hotel in Bundoran as it was back in the 60’s and 70’s.

It reminded us of the exciting times we had working with the late Sean McEniff. He was a man of seemingly boundless energy and a drive to move forward, at speed.

Original Allingham Arms Hotel 1960-1970’s

In the late 1980’s we were engaged with Sean in adding to his hotel in Letterkenny, the Mount Errigal (previously the Ballyraine). During design discussions he announced that he had just purchased the Allingham Arms and asked us to work with him on the development of the hotel. From the start there was opposing views on the best way to commence that development. One option was to refurbish the existing building and to extend it, thereby getting an income stream started in the shortest possible time. The option we favoured was the demolition of the existing and the erection of a new hotel set on the front of the site as close to the sea as possible. As architects, we also wanted to showcase our skill by creating an extension to the wonderful Bay View Terrace, but in a modern format. We lost the argument and photos below show the early 1991-92 development.

Bay View Terrace picture from Twisted Limbs & Crooked Branches

Allingham Arms Hotel 1990’s

Allingham Arms Hotel – Dining Room

Allingham Arms Hotel – Old Cafe Bar

Ironically the hotel proved so popular that we have been adding to the building ever since and in 2006 we finally got to build an extension to the hotel on the seafront to make use of those magnificent views.

We were delighted recently to see that the success of the hotel under Peter, Elizabeth and family has brought it to four-star status. It’s come a long way since 1991.

Allingham Arms Hotel

Allingham Arms Hotel – New Cafe Bar

Refurbishment and extension to family dwelling, Co. Leitrim

Posted December 22, 2017 by Allan Curran Architects

One of the most enjoyable aspects of our work is witnessing architecture make a family fall in love with their home again. This was our experience of a recent refurbishment and extension to a family dwelling in Co. Leitrim.

Everything about the pretty village of Leitrim, that attracted them twelve years ago, still appealed to our clients. They had simply outgrown their first home. Family visits from Donegal were now an expanding entity in themselves as cousins for their two girls arrived along.

Entertaining family was never going to be compromised by this pair, so they came to us seeking to expand and open up their kitchen-dining space and to find a way to incorporate a snug sitting area.

Although the site is narrow we were able to add on a small extension to the side. We flooded the new extension with light from above, as well as improving access to an existing patio garden directly from the kitchen, with the addition of new glazed doors.

Reconfiguring the existing internal layout created a transformation of the boxed, defined spaces too often the property developers’ layout of choice. The look of the new space is contemporary, a light filled soothing palette of whites and blue greys with pops of colour in the soft furnishings.

Now at the end of a busy working week our clients like nothing better than to avail of the stunning amenities Leitrim has to offer and return home to the space that more than ever is the heart of their home. We know they are sure to maximise their new kitchen over the holiday period. We wish them and all Allan Curran clients and friends a happy and peaceful Christmas.

Our clients wanted to open their house up to create more room for entertaining family and friends, and although the site is narrow we were able to add on a small extension to the side. We also removed a few walls inside the house, so that with contemporary finishes, fittings and furniture the whole look and feel of the house has been transformed. Our clients are delighted with the light- filled Scandi- feel of their new kitchen, dining and living areas and are sure to make good use of them over the holiday period.

Co. Leitrim Before

Co. Leitrim After 1

Co. Leitrim After 2

Co. Leitrim After 3

Co. Leitrim After 4

Co. Leitrim After 5

Co. Leitrim After 6

Co. Leitrim After 7

National Architects in Schools Initiative 2017

Posted June 15, 2017 by Allan Curran Architects

We’ve just finished working with the TY Students at Loreto Community School in Milford, helping them design outdoor classrooms at the school. We had a great time with the students and they came up with some really wacky designs- it was lovely to see them developing their creative ability as we went through the programme. Thanks to the Irish Architecture Foundation for setting up the Initiative- it’s our third year to be involved and hopefully we’ll be back again next year!