RIAI | Irish Architecture Awards

Citation

Overseas - Under £1,000,000

The restraint shown in the intervention in this historic building is matched by the quiet assuredness of the design of the new building element. This is one case where the inetrvention has added to make a greater whole. The ever difficult design problem of placing new build beside historic buildings of strong character has been resolved in an exemplary manner in this project.

Architects' Description
This turn of the century villa overlooks the zoo and the aprk, and borders the Rosental Villenviertal in Leipzig. The River Parthe forms the northern edge of this prominent site. The existing building required extensive renovation after forty years of neglect. An extra floor was added to create six maisonettes in the roof space. These apartments enjoy a double-height central living space, and terraces cut out of the mansard roof. A new stair on the south-west side connects the three main floors of office accomodation, and replaces a wintergarden annex. An original garden remise was also replaced by a new three storey building, which contains a restaurant on the ground floor and an office space on the first floor, with an apartment overhead. The project will be completed by a similar remise on the neighbouring site.