Planning Granted for Sunday Well House, Lucan

We have recently secured planning permission from Fingal County Council for a two-storey detached, five-bedroom house at Sunday Well, Barnhill Cross Road, Lucan, Co. Dublin on behalf of private clients in association with Future Analytics Consulting.

The site is located to the north of the River Liffey in a stunning sylvan setting at the foot of wooded escarpment, allowing the dwelling to comfortably nestle within the Liffey valley landscape.

The site is located within Zoning Objective “HA” (High Amenity) of the Fingal Development Plan 2011-2017 which seeks to protect and enhance high amenity areas. This translates to a constrictive procedural policy context for development proposals.

Building on previous permission for demolition of an existing dwelling, the consenting strategy incorporated amendments to the previously approved scheme and construction of a replacement two-storey detached 478sqm five-bedroom house, a 37.5sqm relocated garage, revised elevational detail, and changes to landscaping with ancillary development works.

Our role was to prepare designs for a large family dwelling of traditional form with subtle contemporary detailing and the highest quality materials and finishes.  The proposals respond to the client's extensive accommodation brief and the highly sensitive nature of the site by minimising visual impact and placing all rooms to maximise views towards the river and carefully consider orientation.  The house will be built to A2 ("Nearly Zero Energy") standards.

The work involved:

• Development of client's brief
• Site assessment and analysis
• House design and preparation of planning application drawings
• Coordination with planning consultant
• Flood risk assessment in conjunction with specialist consultant
• Landscape design in conjunction with Landscape Design Services.
• Preparation of Visual Assessment study for High Amenity area in conjunction with Landscape Design Services.

We are now progressing with a construction drawings and specification package to take the project to tender stage and construction on site.

The house was designed by Paul Mulhern, Architect, MRIAI.

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Proposed Ground Floor Plan - Click to Enlarge.

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Proposed First Floor Plan - Click to Enlarge.

Simon Open Door Day 2016 - Architect Consultations

Unfortunately I'm not around to open my door for the Simon Open Door Day on May 14th & 15th this year.  However, if anyone would like a consultation and can't make those dates either I am happy to facilitate on alternative dates and we can send off your cheque to Simon at the session. More details on this year's Simon Open Door Day below.

Simon Communities of Ireland work with people who experience homelessness and housing exclusion in Ireland. Simon has a vision of society where no one is homeless. All people who are homeless, or at risk of facing homelessness, are given every opportunity to realise their potential to live fulfilled lives in appropriate homes of their own.

The annual Simon Open Door event takes place over Saturday and Sunday, 14th and 15th May 2016. Members of the public can now book a consultation with a RIAI Registered Architect by signing up at www.simonopendoor.ie. The donation of €70.00 will go directly to the Simon Community of Ireland as all Architects are giving their time and expertise for free.

Monies raised through the Simon Open Door campaign will go directly to assist some of the most vulnerable people in our society, those without a place to call home.

You can sign up for an appointment by contacting Paul Mulhern directly HERE or with other registered Architects at www.simonopendoor.ie.  As mentioned above this might suit those who can't make the 14th/15th May dates and we can send off your cheque to Simon at the session.

Read Testimonials about the Simon Open Door.

Join Simon Open Door page in Facebook.

You can expect general advice on:

• Options and ideas for extending and renovating your home - or building a new house
• Architect’s fees and services
• Information on building costs including VAT
• Discussion on building materials likely to be used
• Planning requirements or Exempted Development from Planning
• The documents that will be used for planning; tenders; and building contracts

Here are some other useful links:

• What to bring on the Day
• Top ten questions to ask your Architect
• Top tips From RIAI Architects
• Working with your Architect
• What should you think about before you start your project?

Best regards,  Paul.

SPACIOUS Architects.  Co. Dublin

Two of Our Favourite Things...

Great Coffee & Working Drawings!

Working Drawings - How Architects & Designers Communicate.

Great coffee is up there as one of our favourites.  After spending three years in Melbourne how could it not be?  The coffee and cafe scene there are quite an amazing experience.

The other favourite is communicating our design intentions to the contractors we work with through the medium of the Working Drawing.  Clients usually get to see more of, and pay more attention to the earlier stage Design Sketches, but it's the working drawing that determines a great deal of the success of the final building.

If you were to hand the same sketch or planning stage drawing to three different builders you would get three vastly different tender prices and buildings.  Quality, finishes, details, standards, performance, weathering, would all be left open to interpretation - good or bad.

The Working Drawing's purpose is to flesh out the details of earlier sketch and planning stage drawings.  It describes the full intention of how the building is to be put together (in a lot of detail).  It tells builders what is to be done and therefore what way it's not to be done!  It allows for accurate pricing (along with the written specification) so you know you are comparing one builder's apples with another's apples.  It is used for the new Building Regulation compliance requirements (BCAR) and it records the professional input that goes into your building giving you peace of mind.

Without comprehensive Working Drawings great buildings don't happen.

Look what goes into a simple coffee pot.  Think about what goes into the drawings for your new home, renovation or extension!  Come and have a chat with us about what's involved in the various stages of commissioning architectural work for your home.  We'll even shout you a great coffee!

Melbourne Coffee and Cafe's

Hofler Architects, Monkstown - Working throughout Dublin & beyond.   - Our Blog.

Hofler Architects have extensive experience in house extensions, refurbishments, sustainability, conservation of protected structures and  one-off new builds.  We are a highly experienced team of architects based in Monkstown, Co. Dublin. The practice was established in 1992 and offers a full range of architecture services for domestic works, conservation, housing & apartment developments, and many commercial sectors including bars, restaurants, offices, educational and retail.

"This is a great example of a meticulous period restoration - as green as a period house can be" - The Irish Times.

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