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This cottage situated in the north of Dublin city looks tiny from the front, and up until recently, it was tiny inside, too.
Dating from the 1890s, Declan Scullion, director of Scullion Architects, explains that this one-bed worker’s cottage was just 72 square metres. Over the years, an extension had been added, and a “steep and dangerous” staircase led to a “virtually unusable” attic conversion that fit a bed and no more.
The owners wanted to transform the space into a sustainable family home with spaces for working, socialising and playing areas for children, as well as additional bedrooms, bathrooms, and utility spaces such as a pantry, all without compromising the original garden area and within a limited budget.
“The garden and the surrounding buildings, which have such charm and character, are key to the atmosphere and personality of the house,” Declan says.
“The living spaces all very deliberately frame themselves around the garden and rear views with full height windows and reflective materials that lend emphasis to the inner city backlands overgrowth and vegetation. This creates a sense of an almost-secret garden refuge, buried in the heart of an urban inner city block.”
The reflective materials chosen for the exterior provide a sharp contrast to the textured brick of the city around it, while reflecting sunlight away from the house to prevent overheating.
The aluminium windows and cladding were also chosen for their lightweight nature and cost-efficiency. Declan points out that many of the finishes chosen were chosen for their ability to be recycled: timber framing, aluminium cladding, green roof, cork flooring, and plywood. Where possible, the original brickwork was exposed internally and restored.
Because so much floor space was added, it was important to allow light into these new spaces. “We had to find inventive ways to bring light into the middle of the plan,” Declan explains, “so we punctured two holes down through the roof, illuminating the dining area, which we then exploited to borrow light into the bathroom, which is sort of suspended in the middle of the house.”