Rural House in the Countryside

in e s

R

l

a ur

86

Hou

ne

la era

Rd.

rim

nt A . h Co Mag wn, to

als nd

Ra

y od

Wo

n

so

Han

e th

n ou

t

C

de i s ry

Project Brief

MAGHERALANE

RD.

A family with two adolecent children are seeking a design proposal to extend the rural family home which has been vacant for a number of years and is uninhabitable in its current condition. The family has two horses and require a garage that will hold two small cars. They are interested in retaining features of the existing family home’s where possible and building a new addition to support their interests in hosting family gatherings reglarly while maximizing passive solar gain, usable pasture land and views along the River Main Valley. In addition, the redeveloped structure should account for the current needs of the family while also considering the wishes of the parents to spend the rest of their lives in the home after the children are gone.

H

.

RD

CONNAUG

BELFAST

MAP OF IRELAND

MAP OF CO. ANTRIM

SCALE 1:4,000,000

SCALE 1:500,000

Site Context The small three-room family cottage at 86 Magheralane Road is located on the crest of a hill on the east bank of the Main River Valley. Approximately one kilometer south of the settlement along Magheralane is the town centre of Randalstown, Co. Antrim and access to the M22 motorway.

MAP OF RANDALSTOWN SCALE 1:5000

Key Landscape Characteristics Landscape Character Area #60 - River Main Valley The general landscape area of interest for this project is the east bank of the River Main Valley bounded by the Glens of Antrim to the north and Lough Neagh to the south. In this area of County Antrim woodland area makes up only 1% of the total area which is far below the national average.

In addition grassland covers nearly three-quarters of the landscape and much of that is improved pastureland as is found on this site. Surrounding all of this pastureland are robust hedgerows and treelines which are prominent in rural vistas in the area.

The limited woodland and existing pastureland should be protected and emphasized when encountered during any development project in the region In addition, the distinctive hedgerow pattern which surround most fields provide an important landscape structure (NIEA).

Relevant Site Design + Stewardship Guidance

Site Strengths

• Encourage planting of native broadleaved plantations rather than the small conifer plantations which are of poor biodiversity and landscape value

• Enclosed garden area of mature native broadleave trees between dwelling and road and along hedge rows

• Enhance the biodiversity value of demesne/parkland woodland by encouraging planting of saplings of the standard trees; by retention of fallen and veteran trees (particularly for bryophytes, ferns, fungi and fauna)

• Well established natural hedge boundaries including inter-planted native deciduous trees

• Maintain and improve field boundaries especially hedgerows. This may be achieved through adoption of correct cutting cycles; hedge laying and replanting where necessary; leaving saplings uncut to develop into hedgerow trees; avoidance of spraying with fertilizers, slurry, herbicides; provision of wildlife strips and conservation headlands around fields; and limitation of field amalgamation

• Views across the River Main Valley

• Plant new intermediate hedge rows to define new garden spaces and link new house to its immediate surroundings

• Extensive pastureland along southwest slope of site

Site Weaknesses + Opportunities • Prevailing winds are coming from southwest and upslope

• Car parking around back of house in area experiencing shade for much of the day

• Existing building footprint faces southwest, into wind and atop a hill

• Plant deciduous trees to the south to provide summer shade and allow winter light

• Telephone wires run above site in multiple locations

• New hedgerow planted in indigenous species to integrate site into existing field pattern (DOE)

• No direct views to the river

EXISTING SITE CROSS-SECTION SCALE 1:1500

n w

e

4 PM

8 AM

s

Wind Rose

of

Prevailing Winds

NOON

2 Meter Topography Intervals

SITE ORIENTATION MAP SCALE 1:3000

Section

Existing House Existing Telephone Wires Existing Coniferous Trees Existing Deciduous Trees Existing Gates + Stone Walls Existing Hedge Row Overgrown Garden

EXISTING SITE ATTRIBUTES SCALE 1:3000

Existing Conditions

Proposed Conditions

FORM Single

FORM Long

storey cottage

1400

house

sq. ft.

Slate roof lean-to +1000 sq. ft.

MATERIALS

MATERIALS

Coursed random rubble Crumbling rough cast render

Limewash

on course rubble stone

Painted render Painted timber

Zinc

TOPOGRAPHY West facing Atop hill - Limited solar heating and lighting - Large facade facing prevailing winds

sheeting roof

TOPOGRAPHY Built

South

facing

into hillside

+ Maximized exposure passive solar potential + Low and thin profile to prevailing winds

PROPOSED SITE CROSS-SECTION FACING NORTH SCALE 1:1500

Architectural Design Guidance • Salvaging what is authentic, unique and significant from the existing dwelling • Cluster buildings to lessen environmental and visual impact • Position narrow linear buildings perpendicular to contours. Step floor levels and ridges down the hillside to maintain a low profile • Follow simple vernacular architectural designs and patterns, will avoid the proliferation of different housing styles across the valley and eradication of local character • Orient dwelling within 15 degrees of South to maximize daylight and solar gain • Break down massing of house into series of simple, traditional forms • Avoid deep-plan internal layouts and use roof lights and light reflecting surfaces to help reduce the need for artificial lighting.

• Seek to repair, rather than replace.

• Use contours to soften the setting of the house by embedding it within the landscape • Use quality materials and solid, simple construction techniques to ensure the structure has permanence • Avoid frills and ornamentation • High solid-to-void relationship – greater wall surface area than windows and doors RENDERING FROM NORTHEAST

(DOE + CCC)

PROPOSED SITE CROSS-SECTION FACING SOUTH SCALE 1:1500

Architectural Design Responses EXISTING DWELLING • Improve thermal performance with insulation • Remove rough concrete render and cover remaining stone with a lime wash.

• Retain size of existing openings along southwest facade and limit the number of northeast openings BUILDING PARTS FLOOR PLAN

FUNCTION FLOOR PLAN

SHADED FLOOR PLAN

SCALE 1:1000

SCALE 1:1000

SCALE 1:1000

ADDITION TO DWELLING • The addition has three main parts: the storage area for car parking and stables within a lean-to structure along a continuous stone wall, the main addition to the living space, and a link space that connects the two main structures through a small-scale innovative contemporary structure that does not compete with either traditional dwelling component.

• The height, width and general size of the extension is smaller than the original so as not to dominate the profile and character of the existing structure.

• The addition is oriented along the path of the existing hedgerow and garden.

• Focus general living and hosting space in the center of the house and locate the bedrooms on the ends.

• Utilize eco-friendly, light and natural materials with quality insulation properties.

• Smaller windows should be used in north facing elevations. On the south elevation, larger windows will increase solar gain, but are not made too large to distract from the traditional building form, lose privacy or risk of overheating in the summer.

• A new hedgerow will be established along southwest edge with a gate and new deciduous trees within it to maximize southern exposure during winter and solar gain during summer.

PROPOSED SITE PLAN SCALE 1:1000

• The garden area to east of the house will be cleared of overgrowth to create a usable wooded area for the family as a private garden space.

RENDERING FROM SOUTHWEST

Conclusion

Bibliography

In accordance with the family’s wishes, the house can be used in a number of ways to make it more efficient and livable depending on the number of residents. While the children still live in the home, the family will use all 2400 square feet and three bedrooms. However, as the parents age and the children leave the home to establish their own lives the existing structure can be decommissioned and the couple can conduct their day to day life entirely in the 1000 square foot new addition. This will result in substantial energy savings.

Colin Buchanan and Partners Ltd. & Mary Kerrigan Architects. (2011) Building on Tradition: A Sustainable Design Guide for the Northern Ireland Countryside, The Department of the Environment (DOE).

The overall design provides the family with plenty of space to host friends and relatives without compromising their private space both indoors and out of doors. The addition to the home is smaller, shorter, and constructed of slightly different materials than the existing building so that it does not compete with the original structure. Also, the contemporary ‘link’ space between the two main structures can be used for greeting and hosting while still buffering guests from direct access to private bedrooms. The small garden areas to the southwest and east of the house can be used as a private play area for the children and the pastureland can be devoted to equestrian activity.

Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA). (2007) 60 - River Main Valley, The Department of the Environment. <http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/60.shtml>

Colin Buchanan and Partners Ltd. & Mike Shanahan + Associates, Architects. (2003) Cork Rural Design Guide: Building a New House in the Countryside, Cork County Council (CCC).

Planning and Natural Resources Division. (2010) Planning Policy Statement 21: Sustainable Development in the Countryside, The Deparmtent of the Environment (DOE).