Cupboard House

A house that doubles as gallery gave rise to a series of flexible spaces that can be transformed by the occupant. An unroofed porch creates a chicane that provides both threshold and privacy. On entering, the living space is presented as a single volume stretching out to the garden beyond. This longitudinal space is served by an inhabited wall that opens up to reveal the kitchen, stairwell, fireplace and settee. All the essentials of daily living are thus housed behind a folding white wall. One of these openings conceals a hidden dimension – a light-strewn stairwell leading to the bedrooms above. The upper-level arrival hall is a place to linger, being glazed to the sky and lined in birch – it provides a warm and bright reading space which leads onto the bedrooms and bathroom. A playroom can be fully opened onto this hall, creating a large and flexible space.

Project: Commission
Size: 98 m²
Budget: Confidential
Place: Clontarf, Dublin
Status: Completed 2010
Team: Architecture Republic, CORA
Type: Commission
Client: Confidential