Modern Irish domestic architecture?
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I guess I have something of a “coffee table book” approach to appreciating architecture, but I can’t get enough of modernist houses like Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House, Phillip Johnson’s Glass House, Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye or some of Frank Lloyd Wright’s houses. I’m wondering whether there were any dwellings of interest built along these lines in Ireland?
It’s strange that of all the houses (under 60 years of age) I’ve been in or visited around the country, only one springs to mind as being “modern”. Most of the rest have either been horrible pastiche (faux georgian or tudor) or designed-by-engineer stock formula houses (whether the non-descript suburban semi-detached or the ubiquitious country bungalow – now supplanted by the even less attractive “dormer” style bungalow). I’ve visited a number of homes from the same vintage in France and Germany and most have been far more modern and interestingly designed. Obviously there may be a serious selection bias in this observation.
There is the Goulding house in Enniskerry by Ronnie Tallon. It is canterlevered over the river (Dargle I think). It was recently refurbished as far as I know. Looks amazing.
There is also Robin Walkers Weekend house in Kinsale, which sits on stilts.
And of course, I almost forgot, Geragh in Sandycove.
http://www.irish-architecture.com/architects_ireland/michael_scott/geragh.htmlThese are just three better known ones off the top of my head. I am sure other people will know of many more.
I like that house in Sandycove. I can’t seem to get pictures of the others on the web (google) ‘though. I also remember seeing some interesting mass concrete houses a while back somewhere on the Stillorgan dual carraigeway (I think – maybe it was the Blackrock/Dun Laoghaire Road) but they were almost derelict or at least hadn’t been painted in years.
It’s a great shame how so many modernist houses, albethey not overly remarkable by international standards are left to crumble away, while older ‘heritage’ buildings are the only ones considerd worthy of restoration, or even just basic care and attention.
As you say there’s some real gems out the Stillorgan way – always laughed at how more liberal the architecture becomes the closer you get to Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown 😀Geragh is a design classic.
There was a shell of a 1930s house on the Foxrock dual cariage way until quite recently. I went in and had a wander around it about 6 months ago or so. I had no camera with me, but I noticed that there was a planning application to knock it and build two town houses on the site instead. I am not sure if it is still there or not. Anyone seen it lately?
On the road between Deansgrange and Foxrock Church there is one gem left out of about 5 that looked like they were all originally like it. The rest of them have been dramatically altered (for the worse in my opinion).
https://archiseek.com/content/showthread.php?t=2727&highlight=esso
Also, there is a house that has some similarities to Geragh at the top of Knocknacree Road in Dalkey. It was used in that film ‘About Adam’ a few years back. Very nice curved bay window with what I would imagine must be amazing views.
There are also some nice modernist houses in Clontarf.
Just as an add-on I must say that I almost cry when I see 1930s/40s/50s houses being ‘heritagised’ (excuse term, but it is all I can think of to describe the trend of placing inapropriate ‘olde’ features on to modern houses).
@phil wrote:
There was a shell of a 1930s house on the Foxrock dual cariage way until quite recently. I went in and had a wander around it about 6 months ago or so. I had no camera with me, but I noticed that there was a planning application to knock it and build two town houses on the site instead. I am not sure if it is still there or not. Anyone seen it lately?
I think it was in The Irish Times property supplement all done up, not sure though. There seems to be plenty of little modernist houses around the country, just hidden away.
There was a shell of a 1930s house on the Foxrock dual cariage way until quite recently.
Was it on your left on the way out of town? If yes, then that’s probably the one I’m thinking of. I used to catch a glimpse of from the upstairs of the 46A when I used to commute to Dun Laoghaire a few years back. Obviously, it wasn’t as interesting as Micheal Scott’s one in Sandycove but it still looked as if it had the potential to be very beautiful if shown a bit of attention. It’s a pity it’s gone but, even at the time, I knew it was destined for the wrecking ball; when you see a property in that condition in such an expensive area, you know what’s going to happen.
It’s a great shame how so many modernist houses, albethey not overly remarkable by international standards are left to crumble away, while older ‘heritage’ buildings are the only ones considerd worthy of restoration, or even just basic care and attention.
It would be an interesting excercise to analyse the distribution of listed buildings in Ireland in terms of period. I’d imagine that modern buildings are hardly represented at all. I remember even being surprised to learn that Archer’s Garage was listed a few years ago before it was illegally knocked. At the time, I assumed, without thinking about it much, that the listing system was there to protect Georgian or slightly later building stock.
@jimg wrote:
Was it on your left on the way out of town? If yes, then that’s probably the one I’m thinking of. I used to catch a glimpse of from the upstairs of the 46A when I used to commute to Dun Laoghaire…
Yeah, that is the one. It was a very nice, simple form.
@Frank Taylor wrote:
That has house has been levelled. The land was just too valuable. The esso site across the road sold for close to 8million per acre.
Yeah, I think you are right. Pity though.
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