A proposal for a replacement dwelling at Station Rd, Rostrevor. The relationship between the site and the river, and how to deal with this edge, was a key principle of the scheme. A historic triple–arched stone bridge is one of the main anchors of the site with a desire to be open to the views of the lough and river, but screen from the road and neighbours, begins to dictate the strategy of the plan.
In order to fully integrate the new dwelling within its surrounding built context, we proposed using the existing language of the low sea–walls, retaining and boundary walls surrounding the site, extending into the curtilage of the site itself. The new wall leads from the accessway at the road, up to the front door, where the wall steps up to form the ground floor facade of the dwelling. The wall continues, to screen a patio area to the north of the front garden, then turns to form a new retaining wall to the river–edge, allowing one to step down into the river from this patio.
Atop the nearby Slieve Martin is the huge granite boulder Cloughmore. Known locally as ‘the big stone’, it is popular destination for visitors, and is part of a National Nature Reserve and Area of Special Scientific Interest. Taking cues from its material, and its massy, yet delicately–perched appearance, the upper storey of the dwelling is to be clad in local granite, cut and polished. With small cantilevers forming entrances and sheltered areas, and the exposed aggregate concrete stepping up in places, the formal reference is made to the 50–ton boulder– its appearance of having been intentionally placed with a lightness of touch, its relationship with the earth below, and to wider notions related to time and landscape.
A proposal for a replacement dwelling at Station Rd, Rostrevor. The relationship between the site and the river, and how to deal with this edge, was a key principle of the scheme. A historic triple–arched stone bridge is one of the main anchors of the site with a desire to be open to the views of the lough and river, but screen from the road and neighbours, begins to dictate the strategy of the plan.
In order to fully integrate the new dwelling within its surrounding built context, we proposed using the existing language of the low sea–walls, retaining and boundary walls surrounding the site, extending into the curtilage of the site itself. The new wall leads from the accessway at the road, up to the front door, where the wall steps up to form the ground floor facade of the dwelling. The wall continues, to screen a patio area to the north of the front garden, then turns to form a new retaining wall to the river–edge, allowing one to step down into the river from this patio.
Atop the nearby Slieve Martin is the huge granite boulder Cloughmore. Known locally as ‘the big stone’, it is popular destination for visitors, and is part of a National Nature Reserve and Area of Special Scientific Interest. Taking cues from its material, and its massy, yet delicately–perched appearance, the upper storey of the dwelling is to be clad in local granite, cut and polished. With small cantilevers forming entrances and sheltered areas, and the exposed aggregate concrete stepping up in places, the formal reference is made to the 50–ton boulder– its appearance of having been intentionally placed with a lightness of touch, its relationship with the earth below, and to wider notions related to time and landscape.