RIAI | Irish Architecture Awards

Citation

Dublin Under €300,000

A bold insertion within a protected structure on a historic streetscape. The interplay of mezzanine and island kitchen unit creates a truly modern apartment. An excellent example of sustainable architecture.

Architect's Comment
Previous interventions inserted into the front room of this first floor apartment had sub divided the space, leaving an octagonal dining room in the centre of the plan. In each corner a different servant space takes up the remaining volume. Existing windows were partly disassociated from the dining space to also allow light into the kitchen and bathroom.

Our subsequent process of intervention began with the removal of the pouché parts of the plan and the insertion of two new elements, an island kitchen and a mezzanine. This strategic move opens up the room to allow light to enter the depth of the plan and to re-orientate activities in the kitchen outwards toward the dining space. The kitchen is conceived as a folded form with a stainless steel liner making the working surface and a soffit with an extract hood and recessed lighting. The vertical leg of the kitchen form visually screens the working surface from the living room.

The mezzanine reads as a slab of plywood spanning between walls, balustrade and handrails are detailed to reduce the visual impact on the space to a minimum. Access is via a folding timber stairs concealed behind a plywood soffit panel.

The original fabric of the building has been carefully maintained and where necessary restored, being re-valued relative to the new insertions.

Clients' Comment
From the outset, my intentions were very clear - reclaim light and space, while increasing the practical usage of the room. FKL truly achieved this for me. Who would have thought that two beautiful and imposing sash windows lay behind restricted kitchen and bathroom areas and could ultimately release such a contemporary and interactive kitchen and dining space.

The suggestion of a bold and empathetic mezzanine was fantastic and I cannot thank my architectural team enough.