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Modern Box type design -suitable for Irish climate?

  • 09-09-2011 2:17pm
    #1
    dellhell
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭


    I have been looking a number of architects work over the past while and there seems to be a distinct trend towards box type designs, flat roofed and highly glazed type structures. I happen to think a lot of them look superb but often might not sit perfectly with their locality.

    Forgetting the aesthetic quality, are they suitable for the Irish climate?
    Are there problems with heating or rain? I am building on a very exposed site so would be interested in people's experiences.
    Also (roughly) per square foot is there a huge difference in price from using more traditional designs?


Comments

  • #2
    BryanF
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 10,146 Mod ✭✭✭✭BryanF


    dellhell wrote: »
    I have been looking a number of architects work over the past while and there seems to be a distinct trend towards box type designs, flat roofed and highly glazed type structures. I happen to think a lot of them look superb but often might not sit perfectly with their locality.

    Forgetting the aesthetic quality, are they suitable for the Irish climate?
    Are there problems with heating or rain? I am building on a very exposed site so would be interested in people's experiences.
    Also (roughly) per square foot is there a huge difference in price from using more traditional designs?
    If i may say, you have the wrong heading, it should read 'building suitable for specific site'.

    I agree many box type houses look great, but do not sit well where they were put.. I'm keen on putting a modern twist on the vernacular style, but it must suit the site, from local / low embodied materials and the end result must be low a energy building.

    Aesthetic quality does not need to be lost because of an exposed site, but again the site (and your requirements) should dictate the house.

    Traditional designs? if you are referring to a 'scraping throu building regulation bungalow bliss', then yes there is a premium to building a piece of architecture. that could be anywhere from 1000€ per Msq to infinity. at the moment with the current cost concerns, I think there is a balance between getting a good design and achieving the best of reductions in energy & a buildings environmental impact.


  • #3
    Poor Uncle Tom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,547 ✭✭✭✭Poor Uncle Tom


    From a design perspective, having a shape in mind and attempting to put your living needs into it is cart before the horse territory.

    Your needs, your budget, the topography of the site and the orientation of the buildings location all play very big parts in the overall building design. Site exposure, site area designations, predominent local building types and planning requirements are the next elements which need to be addressed. If there is room left at this stage to indulge a certian shape in the building envelope, it could be incorporated.

    Regarding the 'box' type design you mention, imo, there are only a very few which actually work well. This type design is probably better suited to integrate a contemporary feel to a traditional dwelling through extension and modernisation.


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