rural housing design

[Observer]

Originally posted by Mob79
Tacky and all as they were, bungalows from the 60s-90s seem so much more cheerful, colourful and modest than this current wave of mansions. Everything now just seems so big, immodest, dark stone covered and dull. They all remind me of a cheap version of a dull provincial railway station on a wet day. Im glad i grew up in a bungalow with ridiculous spanish arches.

Agreed. They are the lesser of two evils. This notion of no/low maintaince as also made a huge impact in these houses. uPVC windows, facis and sofit. Stone or "Stone" clad fronts and that no paint dashing stuff on the back and sides. They all look the same. Back in the good old days the 'bliss houses were painted different colours, used REAL stone cladding or a combination of redbrick and painted render etc...
There was some sence of individuality to them, alas now they all look the same.

Originally posted by Graham Hickey
If only these mansions were dull, dark and dreary - most are clad in day-glo red brick.

You turn a bend in the road and AHHHHHH!

Although - so many bungalows are rendered in standard grey plaster and never painted, never clad - never finished.
This is a major problem - so many of these houses are never completed as their builders are in charge of their own project, there are no finishing deadlines and so they are left.

Drive along the road from Dundalk to Newry and the amount of houses that have never been finished from as long as 15 years ago...

Its true and it makes them a huge eyesore. If they were painted and perhaps some basic landscaping (No bloody laylandi (sp?)) they would blend into the surroundings perhaps a little.

[keating]

The book MG is referring to may be 'Building sensitively in Ireland's Landscapes' published by Bord Failte, an Taisce, Galway Co. Council and Philip Groghegan and Delphine Culligen of UCD. I have no info on the printers. It provides guidelines on good siting and sensitive design, with good and bad examples sketched on location in Connemara.

[PVC King]

It is interesting the Bord Failte put the foot down and insisted that they were consulted before anything is built in SEA areas.

It must be said that Kerry has yet again taken the biscuit for stupidity with the Councilors there overruling the planners in the granting of a Section four permission for 14 previously refused once off detatched houses predominently bungalows many in SEA zones. This was supported by all parties and indicates that the holding of political office is more important than 'The proper and sustainable development' of this once beautiful country.

[Aoife1]

been off this site for a long time, but very interested to read what you'd to say about Achill - I grew up there in the 1970s and have never really shaken the interest in housing I got from looking at, living in and experiencing the types of houses you describe...when I started working on my Bungalow Blitz:Another History of irish Architecutre project back in 2001 I intended to focus on Achill...that was foiled by friends there being very unhappy about my highlighting the 'bungalow' side of the island (they had only recently been at the receiving end of the Toblerone jobes and were wary about impact on tourism). I used Kilcar and Glencolmcille in Donegal as an alternate case study. You can see some of the work on http://www.visual-culture.com (click on Bungalwo Blitz)

[PVC King]

A bushwhacking title I wonder why they didn't call it Bungaloo Bildz

[fergalr]

Is "Rural Housing Design" not an oxymoron these days?

[GrahamH]

And lots of urban/suburban to be fair...

[Aoife1]

yes - typing not my forte!

[Paul Clerkin]

The Irish Bungalow Book 1979
http://archiseek.com/2011/the-irish-bungalow-book/