Design guide · Cork County Council
Cork Rural Design Guide
The council's guidance on siting and designing a house in the countryside.
Cork County Council · 128 pages
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- 79 Mono Pitch - Slate Mono Pitch - Tin Shallower pitch Gable - Slate Gable - Tin Hipped - Thatch Hipped - Slate Pyramid - Slate Curved - Tin Cork roof shapes & materials 45o 40o 35o Common roof profiles 60o 25o Flat Flat Ecclesiastical Shallow Exceptional profiles - very high design quality required 1 Minimal Eaves and Verge 2 Slight Projecting Eaves & Verge 3 Coped Gable 4 Oversailing Roof - Limited use preferable Multiple Oversailing Roofs Slate continues very slightly over gable, with or without propriety edge trim Simple fascia / soffit Tiles too thick for small roof Slighty raised plaster band (see photo) Plastered eaves projection formed with corbeled blockwork or concrete Conc / plaster carried over gable Slight projecting eaves in blockwork and plaster Black round rainwater goods Suburban Soffit recessed well above verge board Gable roofs - preferred rural roof edge treatments, without white PVC Stained or painted timber or dark coloured P.V.C. Simple sloped soffit runs along eaves ‘Busy’ Unattractive `boxy’ fascia / soffit Small Roofs Avoid box verges Avoid heavy lid Avoid box eaves
- 80 chimneys Chimneys are a very important element of a house, much overlooked today. They have the potential to add substance and presence to the appearance of a house. Poorly positioned, meanly built, or a total absence of, chimneys can detract enormously from a house. Chimney stacks add interest to a house and as a general principle for rural houses they should be located through and across the ridge. Where chimneys are located at gables, they should preferably be flush with the face of the wall, as is a feature characteristic across most of Cork. In East Cork, however, stout stacks built proud of the gable are a feature typical to the area. chimney located through & across the ridge flush with gable 126 127125124 Care and attention is required with the detail and construction of chimneys and cappings. Rural chimneys tended to be strong elements, whereas today they can often appear narrow and weak. The requirement today for passive flue vents to internal bathrooms and toilets and below slab radon sumps gives reasons for chimneys to incorporate several flues. Capping details vary across the county, giving local identity. Whilst thin (“mean”) chimneys are to be avoided, heavy or clumsy detailing of chimney cappings can be equally unsightly if care is not exercised.
- 81 Avoid tall, spindly types positioned on the pitch of the roof as per the examples set out above The plan layout of a house affects the position of chimneys Offset fireplace remedy Layout B - provides for a centrally placed chimney. Layout A - results in spindly type chimneys positioned on the pitch of the roof. 2nd vent flue facilitates wider stack fireplace location radon sump permanent vent to radon sump radon extractor fan located in attic 131130128 129 gives gives
- 82 windows size, shape and arrangement of openings All houses require natural light and therefore need openings. Being the predominant openings of a building, the size, shape and positioning of windows significantly influences the scale and proportions of the dwelling. Windows are perhaps the most difficult aspect of houses to get right. In the past, size and shape was limited by construction materials and costs, which meant that window openings tended to be small and away from corners. Consequently openings were surrounded by large areas of solid wall creating what is known as a high `solid to void’ relationship, giving a strong and sturdy appearance to our rural buildings. Today there is no such constraint. Current practice is to use an increasing selection of larger, wider windows with a variety of shapes, often with unfortunate consequences and which tend to look at odds within the much simpler rural setting. Naturally brightly lit interiors are desirable and for any room to be adequately lit, the area of glass should not be less than 10% of the floor area. It is worth noting that highly glazed façades are possible in certain locations provided they are conceived with skill and executed with care, using attractive framing materials. Simple guidance on window openings might be summarised as follows: • Keep the range of opening sizes to a minimum and the shape of openings simple. Arrange openings in order to maximise a high solid-to-void appearance where it matters - i.e. work the plan to limit the number of openings in some places, using rooflights and concentrating large openings to the main living areas which ideally will have the most sun and view, remembering that highly glazed façades are often best located where they are not fully in public view; • Keep the arrangement of openings simple, observing the central axis generated by the shape of the wall. This axis is particularly strong and demands more attention where pitched roof shapes are used, such as with gable ends or dormers; • Vertical emphasis of openings is generally preferable to horizontal emphasis; • Windows should be centred either exactly on the axis, or purposefully off the axis. Openings slightly or equally off the axis are very discordant in appearance. Dormers, rooflights and first floor windows are traditionally centred over ground floor windows. As a general principle these should not be bigger than the lower level windows. assymmetry not uncommon too many windows too low solid-to-void swiss cheese effect large openings are possible 132 133 134 135
- 83 Openings in Gables Cork Rural Context vertical emphasis high solid-to-void classical simple large opening in outbuilding large openings opening as large door typical bungalow - horizontal windows rotate openings 90o higher solid-to-void effect Vertical Openings Appear Appropriate pitched form creates strong axis no openings - strongest centred - not too large deliberate off-centre top heavy weak unbalanced suburban muddle gaping Balancing Large Openings
- 84 windows proportion, division and materials Windows are one of the most important features of a building; the choice of window style affects the visual personality of a house. Depth of profile, elegance and proportion in windows needs to be considered as windows can weaken the elevation if set too close together, or too close to the corner. Today, windows frequently receive little of the care and attention to proportion and construction they were assigned in the past. Well made, attractive windows can hugely enrich a building. Similarly poor window design, or cheap-looking window construction, often spoils the appearance of an otherwise satisfactorily designed new home. Window design should maintain proportion and simplicity. Windows do not have to be small to respect tradition. Larger windows can offer spectacular views, but the length to width ratio needs to be considered. In many cases, a series of smaller windows with vertical emphasis, or of square proportion, sit more comfortably than large horizontal openings. A number of methods can be employed to integrate larger windows into rural buildings as depicted below. arc of vertical should hit other side between mid-line and top arc of vertical below mid-line arc hits through sill square double square diagonal of square golden section h=11/2w simple proportion check Proportion and Vertical Emphasis: Simple Rules of Thumb Ways to Incorporate Horizontal Openings in a Rural Context horizontal openings need care divide into vertical openings drop sill and divide change window to door opening 136 137 138 139 bay window
- 85 Fixed opening light used to balance opening light Top hung opening Good window division is generally based on two principles, the first is to divide the window exactly symmetrically about the central horizontal or vertical axis or sometimes both. The second is to use a window type or system which facilitates division giving glass panes of identical size (or as near as) e.g. vertical sliding sash or similiar. Good window division Near Symmetry Unequal panes Unequal & horizontal Unbalanced top light Horizontal and vertical mixed Mock Tudor Mock Georgian Equal about vertical axis Equal about horizontal axis Side hung opening slender sections Tilt and turn opening Traditional sashes to wide opening Strong Vertical Emphasis Nearly the same size Horizontal emphasis remains Squinting Fenestration highlighted Fenestration less obvious Window construction fundamental to design good and poor realisation Flat heavy looking sections Shallow reveal False 2D glazing bar Mean looking sill Slenderness of section achieved by depth which gives window a 3rd dimension Substantial sill Colour: white highlights division 2D cheapens 3D enriches Depth of profiles - the lost Dimension Window division to avoid Windows should be made out of the best quality materials affordable, both in terms of appearance and performance. Traditionally windows were made of painted timber which has several advantages including freshness of colour, slenderness of sections and depth of profile. Timber joinery craftmanship is still strong in Cork. Alternatively many firms offer timber window systems which can be factory finished, stained or aluminium clad minimising maintenance. Otherwise windows in matel and plastic are available in a greater range of colour finishes. Some plastic window systems can appear very chunky and two dimensional, especially where false georgian bar strips are used - something which should be especially avoided. Higher glazing thermal performance requirements demand even greater vigilance with respect to many of the above points.
- 86 dormers and rooflights Changes in building construction techniques along with the extensive use of the double deep plan have helped to give rise, over the past 20 years, to the dormer bungalow house. On previous pages we have highlighted some of the disadvantages of this house type. Those together with the fact that dormers are so often finished in white PVC cladding can make them bulky and prominent in terms of the overall appearance of the house. That is not to say that there is no place for the dormer house. As illustrated within Part 3, modifications can be made to reduce the bulk of houses accommodating ancillary wings or eaves dormers. However, in many instances, depending on the site context and potential layout, a full two storey buiding may be preferable to a proliferation of dormers and rooflights. In general, dormers should only be incorporated in rural house design with restraint and care, following a few basic principles as set out below: • ‘Busy’ eaves lines or roof planes should be minimised; • The unseen slopes of roofs allow more scope for the inclusion of multiple or larger dormers, where absolutely necessary; • In most instances rooflights are preferable to mid-roof dormers, especially on the visible public slopes of roofs; • If dormers are used, simple wall-plate dormers (traditional eaves dormers) are the preferred form. Again care is required to how they are constructed and detailed; • Avoid the use of white PVC side cladding, box fascias and soffits to dormers - stained timber or slate offer far more attractive alternatives; • The location and frequency of rainwater downpipes (RWPs) needs to be considered from the outset with eaves and dormers. A proliferation of rainwater downpipes, especially white, on the front of houses should be avoided; • Flashings, which allow rooflights to sit flush with a slate roof finish, are widely available and their more extensive use is actively encouraged by Cork County Council. 142140 141 143
- 87 Simple tidy presentation to public roadside Avoid white P.V.C. box fascia & cladding Unseen private side - dormers & large glazing possible White P.V.C to be avoided Avoid prominent mid-roof dormers Preferred rooflight option keeps roof plane simple Random rooflights proud of roof plane RWPs not shown Unsightly RWPs Equal roof lights flush with roof House too small for so many RWPs Better proportioning -wider house Keep roof plane simple Unattractive dormer type Prominent non-traditional types Avoid ugly construction details and materials Simple well mannered construction Avoid proliferation of RWPs Presentation to the road and dormer location rooflight incorporated in lieu of 3rd dormer
- 88 144 145 147146 doorsTraditionally much care was taken with this element of the house. Frequently it was the only item of embellishment on the otherwise simple exterior of Irish country, town and city buildings. Proportion, colour and detail are fundamental to making external doors an attractive feature of a house, as per the basic principles below: • Doors should always reflect the shape of the opening and are most successful in their simplest form - in sheeted or panelled timber; • Front doors should be viewed as an opportunity to introduce interest, contrast and enrichment to a house; • White PVC, aluminium or varnished tropical hardwood reproduction doors are actively discouraged and should be avoided. Sustainable painted or natural hardwood alternatives are becoming more readily available for external joinery and their use is actively encouraged by Cork County Council; • With conservation or refurbishment work, skilled joiners can replicate the detailing and features of period doors accurately; • Discretion in the selection and use of colour in Cork countryside houses has traditionally been used to great effect to enhance design. Strong contrast in colours between, say, a boldly painted front door and plainer surrounding walls can bring significant visual interest and style. New exterior wood coating products are available for finishing timbers which are a good substitute for high gloss paints, offering a more `maintenance friendly’ finish; • Whilst the door and surround often needs to admit light to the hallway, large glazed panels in doors can look over-elaborate. A window above or beside the door, as in the traditional examples, is a good compromise, which leaves the simple door intact. Fanlights over doors can also be used to increase light to hallways; • Carefully consider electrical lighting to the front door. Avoid bulkhead type light fittings and explore other light fittings and options for location; • Avoid unsightly, prominent location of ESB meter boxes. These can easily be discreetly located (refer to illustrations on facing page).
Source Cork County Council: Cork Rural Design Guide · Licence the publisher's termsText read from the publisher’s PDF; tables, maps and drawings do not survive as text, and page numbers are the PDF’s (its first page is 1). Check the original before relying on a passage.