Design guide · Galway County Council
Design Guidelines for Single Rural Housing
The council's guidance on siting and designing a house in the countryside.
Galway County Council · 58 pages
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- Galway County Council Design Guidelines for the Single Rural House Location Siting DesignGalway County Council 1 2 3
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- Contents A : Introduction 2 B : Location 5 C : Siting 7 D : Landscaping 17 E : Design 23 Appendices trees & scrubs bibliography photo & design credits acknowledgements Foreword - This guide has been produced with the following intentions • Encourage debate about rural design • Foster informed decisions within the planning process • Inspire all who have a role to play in our future heritage • Instill stewardship of our countryside There is a misconception that design is purely about taste and therefore subjective. This guide seeks to illustrate through objective criteria a series of tried and tested design methods, houses which are both practical and energy efficient yet relate to their rural surroundings. This guide promotes an understanding of our rural built heritage yet equally encourages imaginative site specific design. The success of these guidelines will only be measured in years to come, in the form of inspired design which contributes to our built heritage and reinforces our regional identity. Galway County Council Galway County Council Technical Information - All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced in any form (including by storage in any retrieval system), transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, or adapted without the prior written permission of the authors and publishers. Copyright . 2005 Galway County Council. Page no. 1 Design Guidelines for the Single Rural House 5
- Stewardship Each one of us has a responsibility towards the countryside not just in preserving our existing heritage , but on creating a heritage for future generations to enjoy. It is therefore imperative that when proposing to build in the countryside that such designs are a positive insertion within the fabric of the countryside and do not detract from the existing natural surroundings. Strong stewardship is important in such a context which will promote rather than detract from a unique sense of place in the countryside. Approach This guide will illustrate an approach to location that reflects the variety and diversity of landscape types of County Galway, from its agricultural hinterlands and uplands to the east and Atlantic coastline, island communities and Conamara National Park to the west. Advice on siting and layout will look at age-old wisdoms as precedent in considering shelter strategies and blending with the landscape, along with practical issues in locating day to day utilities such as play areas, waste disposal ,storage , parking, access, privacy and respect for your neighbours. The guide will illustrate 2 key principles to a successful house design - • Illustrate the characteristics of a rural house by highlighting the importance of simplicity, refinement, proportion and quality of materials. • Site specific contemporary design which through careful site analysis will result in a skillful and well executed design on appropriate sites - and those best qualified to do this are Architects, some of which have contributed illustrations for this guide. Context Galway County is experiencing an economic boom unprecedented in its entire history. Such prosperity has generated an increasing pressure on the rural landscape of the county to absorb such housing development. The challenge therefore is how best to direct and manage such change with new housing so that it is in harmony with the outstanding qualities of County Galway. These qualities include a very rich vernacular built heritage, a heritage which should serve as a benchmark on how best to gauge our future built heritage . Purpose of Guidelines The purpose of these guidelines is to assist applicants on making an application for a single rural house in the countryside, by highlighting all the necessary issues which inform good rural house design. The skill, perception and imagination of a good designer is necessary for a creative interpretation rather than a mechanical application of principles, and it is imperative by all those involved in the process to acknowledge these guidelines as a framework thus avoiding generic and often un-imaginative responses to the rural countryside. The emphasis is on the future which is rooted in our evolutionary vernacular past. This is a guide to inspire a new design tradition which is Irish in origin and is assertive, confident and artistic and providing a future built heritage for County Galway. Galway County Council A - Introduction What are the aims of the Guidelines? The guide will illustrate a structured approach on all the criteria necessary to inform good and practical design for a rural house . • Better designed houses for people to live in. • Better located houses to look after the appearance of the countryside. • More considerate siting of houses to make them warmer, efficient and comfortable homes to live in, which promote the use of sustainable energy technologies in accordance with European and National Regulations. • The promotion of contemporary Irish design and regional identity of County Galway. • Cheaper and more efficient houses to heat in the future through the use of energy saving technology. • A step by step logical approach to all the factors to be considered prior to making a planning permission for submitting a comprehensive application with a well designed house on carefully selected sites. Page no. 2 8 6 7
- Landscape design Apart from natural landscaping features which should be utilized in terms of siting there is also a need to address issues relating to a more natural landscaping intervention. Large areas of green baize lawns should be avoided to the front of houses and there should be an awareness towards local precedent which will inform good landscape design which integrates with the surrounding area. Large open areas should be broken down into different areas which relate to the day to day activities of domestic life. House design In order to place design issues in context there is a necessary precedent study highlighting the rich vernacular past which evolved over time as technology and economic circumstances changed. An economy of means which informed the past vernacular, with a common thread that has resulted in a strong regional identity through our built heritage. These key characteristics are highlighted so as to inform good layouts and determine the shape and heights of the proposed house. The form of the house should be simple and refined with very little modeling to the front elevation. The design should reference local indigenous characteristics and careful attention given to proportions of elements and their overall composition. Awareness is necessary on the scale of a house in the landscape, and while a larger house requires a larger site there is still an issue on its assimilation into the landscape setting. This will require a skillful design approach which breaks down the massing into a composition which appears rooted to its context. Location Check location policies and related issues within the County Development Plan. Search out good natural sites, which will minimize the visual impact of new houses. Good natural sites offer great sheltering, privacy and orientation with south facing glazing for maximum solar gain which is unseen or minimized from neighbouring roads. Sites should be avoided which will require extensive site works involving the removal of natural features such as hedgerows, stone boundary walls and ground contours. Siting A careful and detailed site analysis is necessary to highlight any siting issues and strategies which inform the position of the house on the landscape but also inform the design layout of the house itself and how it relates to the site and the wider landscape. Considerations such as prominence, shelter, passive solar gain, privacy and visual impact are all issues that if addressed at this initial stage will avoid poor design decisions at a later stage. Site features unique to an individual site should be exploited and incorporated into the design of the house resulting in a house which is rooted to its immediate site context. Functional issues related to road access, drainage and environmental waste disposal need to be addressed along with design issues which result in an overall integrated solution. Galway County Council Design criteria Detail design The ‘devil’ is in the detail. This is true in the sense that good design is only as good as an accumulation of many constituent parts which form the overall composition. The characteristics which form a regional identity were usually expressed by the detail, which in the past were not decided by personnel taste but by local context and climatic conditions, such as those houses located in exposed coastal locations which had minimal eaves and verges to minimize exposure to wind and rain. Strong traditional detailing offers a strong clarity and honesty along with a robustness and proportion unique to the west of Ireland. A careful use of colour and quality of indigenous materials and craft define the substance of traditional detailing. Avoid white plastic and un-necessary ‘add-on-frills’. Appendices As part of the process a series of related issues will be highlighted for inclusion on an on-going basis. • Conservation - a method of managing change to ensure that a special interest is retained for the benefit of future generations. • Sustainable design - highlighting current design and technology for a sustainable future • Making a planning application which illustrates a step by step approach, addressing issues as highlighted in the guidelines. • Design references - a comprehensive list of both historical and current Irish rural house design publications. Page no. 3 12 13 1411109
- Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland - Best Building in the Landscape Award 2005 Aughey O’Flaherty Architects 15 Page no. 4
- Galway County Council When selecting a site location it is important to consider a number of initial factors which inform a successful integration within the rural landscape. This should involve an analysis of any impact the house may have on the landscape - not just in terms of its appearance but also practical considerations such as water, telephone, electricity and proximity to schools, shops and other public conveniences. The landscape of the County varies so dramatically, and as such each house should respond to local characteristics and settlement patterns so as to integrate with the local context and landscape fabric. This section highlights relevant issues which should be considered by applicants with the aim that any development will visually integrate rather than impose onto the landscape. A house that is badly sited — will permanently alter the appearance of the landscape and set a poor precedent for future generations, a constant reminder of man’s intervention onto the natural landscape — and run counter to the age old wisdom of generations who had consideration for the siting, topography, scale and indigenous materials which they exhibited in an effortless manner—so much so, we pass them by in a fleeting moment such is their integration with the landscape. B - Location Finding the right place Page no. 5 Where context is carefully considered, a dwelling should reinforces the character of a particular landscape and set high standards in terms of its location, siting and design. The Sustainable Concept It is important at this initial stage to check Galway County Council’s County Development Plan 2003—2009 , Local Area Plans and Settlement Centres for the locality which highlight the following aspects - • Policies in relation to development in restricted areas, • Scenic landscapes, scenic routes as indicated on scenic maps. • Natural Heritage Areas (NHA). • Special Area of Conservation (SPC). • Architectural Heritage Areas (AHA). • Landscape Character Maps. • Record of Protected Structures and Conservation policies. If a potential site is located within one of these areas it is important to consult with the Development control section of the Planning Department before proceeding. Planning context Context ‘Develoment, which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. 1987 Brundtland Report. Sustainable housing has been defined as housing which creates vibrant communities, and is efficient in the use of land, energy, water and other natural and non-renewable resources. It will be orientated to face a southerly orientation to maximize the potential for solar heat gain, landscaped to provide privacy and shelter from the prevailing wind thus retaining more heat and warmth, thus reducing the consumption of limited fossil fuels. 16 19 1817 Galway County
- West Connemara can be subdivided into two contrasting areas separated by the Cliften—Ougtherard N59 road. To the south the landscape can be defined as low-lying and inter-dispersed with bog patches and peaty lakes. To the north, the land rises dramatically to include a major mountain range with glaciated rock surfaces. This region is also characterized by high rainfall and exposure to Atlantic winds, which near the sea virtually eliminates tree growth to indigenous scrub with rock outcrops mainly along the coastal areas and islands. The geology is predominantly igneous and metamorphic, the granite being of three distinct variations, honey/brown, green and pink hues as well as the distinctive Connemara green marble. Natural Heritage ‘ the Irish landscape is a paradox of colours, smells and textures under ever changing light that both repel and attract, that can arouse a sense of shame, but also great pride. It was the inherent unpredictability of the paradoxical Irish landscape and people that Boll most admired. The one constant about this unpredictability is that it will always be with us.’ Ireland—20th Century Architecture. It is hard to argue the fact that the countryside is a valuable asset. It provides an economic resource to the traditional industries of agriculture, forestry and fishing but also to tourism. It is becoming increasingly obvious the importance of such a natural resource in terms of its scenic beauty and natural diversity. It also provides a clean pleasant environment for all to enjoy and is an obvious source to the County’s prosperity. The landscape in County Galway varies greatly and have been classified into 26 distinct areas. However the County can be divided into 2 very distinct landscapes, Connemara to the west and the Agricultural lands to the east which are divided by Lough Corrib. Galway County Council Page no. 6 Landscape - Rural context Seascapes Seascapes vary from the dramatic cliffs of the Aran Islands to sandy beaches like the famous Coral-strand west of Carraroe and the Fjord inlet of Killary harbour and the offshore islands of Aran and Inishbofin. Touchstones These are evident from the earlist of times up to the present, from archaeological remains to growing urban centres and farmland. Megalithic tombs, castles, ecclesiastical remains, vernacular stone barns and thatch cottages all provide touchstones to a rich built tradition and anchor the experience of the present to the past. ‘The first marks of man on this landscape, creating the archaeological landscapes of prehistory, were necessarily sympathetic and responsive to the environment, betraying a fear and knowledge of the elements that informed their precarious existence. Thus, the use of materials to hand, together with an intimate knowledge of microclimate, framed the form and positioning of these early structures in the landscape.’ Building on the edge of Europe East The contrast could not be any more defined with Connemara in that the east of the county is defined by a large central lowland where the predominant activity is agriculture. The geology is mainly carboniferous limestone which are prominent in the south-west of the county as you approach the Burren. Other features which dominate the east are field boundaries defined by limestone walls and or hedgerows, raised bogs forming in areas of lower rainfall, a scattering of broadleaf and conifer woodlands, rolling topography and rich pasturelands. 20 21 23 26 28 25 24 27 22
- Galway County Council Identify natural shelter features such as a backdrop of trees as a shelter belt which also gives good privacy. As a strategy, tuck the building in close proximity to these natural shelters, which have immediate benefits in terms of the buildings assimilation into the landscape while reducing heating bills and providing good levels of privacy. Shelter strategies Such a direct response to climate and shelter locates a building in its particular place, settles it into the contours and frames the setting as the shelter planting matures. Houses positioned in this way give a convincing rational and delightful model for continuing the process of building and development in Irelands landscape. Whether buildings sit in or sit on the landscape it is more that concealment is sought after. It is realistic and necessary to treat buildings as objects in the landscape and consequently to give due attention to their form. C - Siting Presence in the landscape Page no. 7 Anchoring into a Landscape Respect for Local Context - siting of dwellings to lower slopes Coastal-clustering over crest of hill - providing shelter from wind A successful integrating of natural and man-made 32 33 34 35 36 31 30 29
- Galway County Council Context - A sensitive response Page no. 8 Show House - Located close to road and all natural shelter features removed for maximum presentation effect. Large bulky scale dominates the site and immediate setting. Preferred response - Position the house in the most sheltered area of the site. House is orientated in a southerly direction to maximize daylight and passive solar gain. Where there are contours existing on site, the house should be integrated into the slope, avoiding unnatural platforms. Large bulky houses should be avoided in favour of a breaking down of the mass into smaller elements which work with the contours. Provide good setbacks from road, maintain or re-instate natural boundary features and locate gardens and play areas to more secure and secluded areas around the house. Bungalow Bliss - the house is positioned on the top of the hill to get the best possible view. The design was taken from a typical pattern plan book with no regard to unique site features. The house appears isolated from its site with a sea of lawn in front, large tarmacadum or coloured pavior driveway and concrete path. The existing hedgerows removed and replaced with Leylandii with a loss of privacy and all cars parked in front for the final sub-urban treatment Natural setting - Each landscape has unique characteristics, and for a successful rural house integration these features should form the backdrop. It is important to do a site analysis of its unique qualities which should then form an element of the design strategy. show house preferred response 39 40 41 38 X X X X 37
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