Dairy Farm, Wicklow

This project involved the careful restoration of the original cottage, and construction of a new volume to the rear, to accommodate a young and busy farming family.  The new volume steps down the existing sloped site to achieve a 2-storey bedroom zone overlooking the valley.  It also acts as a delineation between domestic gardens and orchards to the south, and the busy farmyard to the north .

The material pallette is restrained to metal, render, concrete and glass.  This settles the new volume into the farmyard enclave, and performs robustly and fittingly in its environment.

The location of the farm kitchen was maintained in the original cottage – to ensure it remained the heart of the home.  The cottage hearth was restored, and a modern version stove was installed to the new volume as an echo to the past.

photos by Peter Grogan