The Brief

CK Architecture was contacted to design the extension of a 3 bedrooms terraced house in Dublin 7. The house is owned and used by a familly. The dwelling is part of a residential development built in the late 1970s or early 1980s. It was never extended. The clients had usual requirements for the enlargement of a dining / kitchen area and provision of a shower / WC at ground floor. The clients main concerns related to the provision of sufficient construction details for the contractor to deliver a good standard of building. In this project there was no particular requirement for a design outside the functional scope of a house extension. The rear facade is orientated South, facilitating access to direct sun light.

The Project

The extension has a total floor area of only 7 square metres approximately. However, the structural works required to provide the addtional space were as important as they would be for a larger extension. Whatever the floor area added, the ground floor rear facade had to be removed to provide an open plan and structural support had to be specified. This is a common lean-to extension which was built at side of an existing building. The South orientated rear facade facilitated sun light penetration in the dwelling. Rear glazing and roof lights let the the sun shines through the new layout. The open space provides for an agreable and functional dining / kitchen / sitting room area.

The Construction

Construction works started mid of September 2014. The works were completed mid of November, except for the hardwood floor finishing which had to be delayed as the new concrete floor was not fully dried and moisture content could have damaged the new floor finsihing. The hardwood was fitted in January 2015, when the concrete floor humidity content reached an acceptable level. The project also included for a new gas boiler and heating control system which benefited from a grant by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).