Balbriggan

This residential project involved the extensive refurbishment, energy upgrade and extension of a 100-year-old terraced townhouse in the centre of Balbriggan, North County Dublin. The brief was to retain the character and established street presence of the original house while completely modernising the property to provide a comfortable, energy-efficient family home suited to contemporary living.

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Like many traditional terraced houses of its period, the existing property had a relatively cellular internal layout with a limited relationship between the principal living spaces and the rear garden. A key objective of the architectural design was therefore to improve the quality, functionality and natural light within the house while creating a much stronger connection between the existing building and its external space.

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The proposal combines the careful refurbishment of the original townhouse with a substantial new single-storey extension to the rear. Designed as a contemporary flat-roofed addition, the extension accommodates a generous open-plan kitchen, dining and family living space, providing a contrast to the more traditional proportions and character of the original house.

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The new extension opens the rear of the property towards the garden, with carefully considered glazing bringing natural daylight deep into the new living areas and creating a direct visual and physical connection between inside and outside. The open-plan arrangement provides a flexible central space for everyday family life, dining and entertaining while allowing the original rooms within the house to retain more defined functions.

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A comprehensive energy upgrade forms an important part of the renovation. The existing building fabric is being significantly improved to increase thermal performance, reduce heat loss and provide greater levels of comfort throughout the house. Particular consideration is given to upgrading an older property in a manner that responds appropriately to the construction and fabric of the original building.

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The relationship between old and new is central to the architectural approach. Rather than attempting to replicate the original house, the rear extension is designed as a clearly contemporary intervention, allowing the character of the existing 100-year-old townhouse to remain legible while providing the additional space, daylight and energy performance required of a modern family home.

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The project demonstrates the potential of Ireland's existing housing stock to be successfully adapted rather than replaced. Through a combination of refurbishment, energy retrofit and contemporary architectural extension, an established terraced house can be transformed to meet modern standards of comfort and energy efficiency while retaining its character and contribution to the historic streetscape of central Balbriggan.