• Dalkey House Richard Murphy Architects

    The Dalkey House featured in Saturdays Irish Times. The house has drama, light and charm in abundance. With views over the bay across to Howth, the house presents a continuous connection with the exterior. The entrance is via a bridge that crosses over the bedroom windows. There are reminders of the influence of the great italian architect Carlo Scarpa’s in the navigation of the plan.

    As in Scarpa’s masterpiece of construction in Castelvecchio, the plan in Dalkey uses a device to orientate the viewer in the space. In Castelvecchio the magnificent but diminulative state of the Cangrade on horseback is used to orientate people. In Dalkey it is the view of the sea. The entrance is over a bridge revealing the views, this is followed by a lobby that blocks the views, then into a slot that has a sky view. From there the views of the sea are presented as portraits, landscapes, and telescopic views. The house embraces the surroundings it is embedded in. More on the house is covered in this piece written by Emma Cullinan for the Irish Times.

    https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/interiors/dynamic-dalkey-house-rises-from-the-rocks-1.3929747?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Flife-and-style%2Fhomes-and-property%2Finteriors%2Fdynamic-dalkey-house-rises-from-the-rocks-1.3929747

    For more on Carlo Scarpa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlo_Scarpa

    For more on Castelvecchio https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castelvecchio_(Verona)

    For Richard Murphys excellent book on Castelvecchio : http://www.breakfastmissionpublishing.com/


  • Photographing houses, houses for photographers

    The Shortlist for the sterling prize was recently released. The list has a diversity of projects from a University campus to Hastings pier to the British Museum Conservation and Exhibitions centre. One project that I thought was interesting was the RIBA London Award 2017 and RIBA London Building of the Year 2017 Award which went to the photography studio and house for Juergen Teller by 6a architects.

    The architects describe the project as “The project expertly exploits a typically London condition. Constrained by a long and narrow industrial plot at the rougher edge of Ladbroke Grove; its only face nestles between cheap developer housing, an industrial estate and the hinterland of the Westway.”

    This poises a question, what should a house for a photographer look like. Or should a photographers house reflect their equipment, their culture , their influence.

    From the photographs shown the project seems blank out the context. The project forms two courtyards that protect the studios from the outside. Is there a metaphor of some sort in the planning. It seems that the main accommodation is like a gatehouse over the entrance to the studio. So in this model of housing? The work is placed at the figurative  and literal centre of the plan. Is this a message to the world? from Teller. Maybe! To celebrate the completion Juergen presented a self portrait in the space! The man at work!

    Recent winners of the sterling prize such as David Chipperfield could inform this view. Chipperfield won the prize in 2007 for The Museum of Modern Literature in Marbach am Neckar, Germany. His private house in Richmond for Nick Knight in 1998-2001 is an essay in cool articulation of a suburban dwelling. It masks the original form of the house build by Knights father. The impression created is distant from the flamboyant anarchy of Knights photography. The connection between what knight creates at www.showstudio.com and his house seem distant.

    One aspect of the house that appeals to me is the concession to the clients profession in the use of a “framing portal” .The portal connects elements of the architectural composition together. It also “frames” a view of the garden from the interiors. The frame acknowledges what the photographer does without making a literal translation of a camera.

    In both projects the aesthetics are quite similar; In situ concrete, plaster, block-work , a subdued palette of tones, rigid geometry. The outcomes are quite different. Tellers house, places him a “hero” with his work at the centre of the world. Nick Knights house seems more to be a refuge from which to view the world.

    The RIBA Stirling List


  • Rooms Declan O'Donnell Architectural photography

    Rooms / Room

    Rooms by Declan O’Donnell is on sale now.

    This book is full of ideas renovating or improving your home. The format catalogues each room in the house. It gives a selection of realistic but imaginative ideas for all the rooms in the house. Some of the design inspiration comes from projects I have photographed over the years. One particularly impressive project is by Michael DeSuin of DeSuin Sullion Architects , the project can be seen here on there website. Or more images can be seen on my site here

    You can even buy it with Room by Emma Donoghue on Easons.

    http://www.riai.ie/news/article/riai_bookshop_book_of_the_weekrooms_create_the_home_you_want_for_your_life


  • Nowhere

    Retail Photography retail design blog

    Nowhere store design by ABGC was launched at the beginning of 2015 . Retail Design Blog have writing a blog piece on the design and installation.

    http://retaildesignblog.net/2015/07/10/nowhere%E2%80%8B-store-by-abgc-dublin%E2%80%8B-ireland/

    screen shot of retail design blog

    screen shot of retail design blog


  • front cover of Dublin Architecture Book by Gandon Editions

    Dublin Architecture, 150+ Buildings from 1990-2010 Gandon Editions

    Gandon Editions launched their new publication at the Atrium in Trinity last night the 23rd of October. It was presented by artist Robert Ballagh.

    The 320-page full-colour Gandon Editions hardback book by the architect Seán Antóin Ó Muirí features over 150 of the best buildings and public spaces completed in Dublin since 1990. The selected projects are contextualised by authoritative essays on contemporary and 20th-century Dublin architecture by Dermot Boyd, Ciarán Cuffe and Shane O’ Toole.  This sumptuously illustrated book carries 1,397 illustrations — 691 photos and 706 drawings.  This book will be an essential architectural guide for cultural tourists and researchers.  The book will appeal to anyone interested in architecture and indeed anyone interested in contemporary Dublin.

    Many of the Architects that I have worked with over the years are featured in the book. It is nice to see all of the projects compiled together with so many beautiful photographs. The book is a great guide to the city’s recent architectural additions.

    Shane O’Toole writes a fine essay on free state architecture , this alone, is well worth the purchase price of the book .

     

    http://www.architecturefoundation.ie/news-item/dublin-architecture-150-buildings-from-1990-2010-launch-23rd-october/

     

    front cover of Dublin Architecture Book by Gandon Editions

    Gandon Editions Front cover Dublin Architecture