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 Landscape strategies This scheme is an excellent illustration of a landscaping strategy which combines many important features and provides an overall cohesive study on assimilating the natural surroundings. The context is carefully analyzed to provide shelter from prevailing winds, privacy, visual screening and through careful study, appropriate indigenous planting which will assimilate into the existing landscape. Each aspect is framed with a specific soft landscaping to provide a natural response and avoid a man-made manicured garden. Such an understanding of context and landscape will result in a house which is well anchored and over time provide a complete assimilation between house and landscape. A Natural Response Strategy & analysis Page no. 19 Planting provides shelter belt and privacy Landscape proposal for Cottage in Connemara - a successful integration into a natural setting Rock outcrops and heather define a soft boundary edge Entrance framed with landscaping Context - a sensitive response The existing cottage is located in South Connemara, which is dominated by an open wind-swept landscape. Shelter is provided by sparse clusters of vegetation and or natural contours. Such a natural landscape demands a sensitive response and in-depth study of the natural flora and fauna to give a successful proposal. Existing cottage in its natural landscape context 121 122 125 124 123
- Galway County Council Context The entrance to the site is the first point of contact people have with their dwelling and therefore is an important element in the overall composition. A characteristic of traditional rural boundaries and entrances has been to maintain existing field boundaries and entrance features which reflect local craft skills such as dry stone walls, in-situ concrete pillars (barrel formed), forged gates and perhaps pebble dashed walls. Along with this there was the planting of native species to provide seasonal colours, privacy screening and shelter. All too often the first register of an insensitive dwelling design is an in-appropriate entrance and front boundary treatment which usually has pre-cast post and rail fencing, artificial geometric stone, brick or natural stone which is not geologically linked with an area. Entrances - Safety and rural integration Page no. 20 Reinstating existing features Where existing boundary features have to be removed to facilitate forward sight lines, these hedgerows / stonewalls should be reinstated behind the required sight lines as specified. The layout of proposed access roads within a site should follow existing contours thereby avoiding excessive cut or fill excavation and provide a natural organic approach to the proposed dwelling. Surface water disposal should be designed in such a way so as to avoid run-off onto main roads. For surfacing, source local quarries for gravel and tar which look more natural in rural settings and provide greater permeability for surface water run-off than tarmacadam or precast paviors. Design standards With the ever increasing traffic volume on our country roads, safe access has become a primary concern and cannot be overlooked. Specific design standards are contained within the current Development Plan for guidance. When locating an entrance it is important to consider the requirements for sight lines. Entrances which are proposed on the inside of a road bend provide poor visibility splays and generally require extensive removal of existing boundary features which will detract from the natural context. Building lines are also a necessary requirement in order to facilitate any future roads improvements with setback distances reflecting the road status and are listed in the current Development Plan. To prevent all dwellings from lining up, resulting in a ribbonised and autonomous street front, dwellings should be staggered which address siting characteristics as illustrated previously. Dwellings do not have to be located parallel to the road - in fact they should have a more organic arrangement which reflect the traditional characteristics of siting which responded to wind direction and solar gain. 132 135 136 134133128 127 130 131 X Insensitive sub-urban boundary treatment resulting in erosion of rural character A sensitive rural response - maintaining existing trees with wide entrance splay 129 Erosion of rural character through insensitive removal of hedgerows. Sensitive response - maintaining hedgerows while achieving safe access X XLimestone fissured pavement - protected under the Habitat Directive
- Galway County Council County Galway possesses a rich range of archaeological monuments both in the countryside, and in its urban centres. The Archaeological Survey of Ireland has estimated that there are circa 120,000 known archaeological monuments and sites in Ireland and that County Galway contains 7100 such monuments (Gosling et al. 1987). Given that our archaeological heritage is an integral part of the wider environment and is fundamentally important to the quality of life for the people, to their education, culture, enjoyment, amenity and to the economy and special identity of the County of Galway. Policies 131- 137 (Page 54-55) in the County Development Plan 2003 – 2009 specifically deal with the archaeological heritage of the county. Many of these monuments are readily recognisable such as castles, ringforts, ecclesiastical sites but others such as fulachta fiadh, field systems, earth works and enclosures can sometimes be a little difficult to recognise. Therefore it is important to check if there are any Recorded Monuments on or adjacent to your site. If a proposed development is located within c.30m of a Recorded Monument or Place it is advisable to seek advice from the DoEHLG (Dúchas) and/or a licensed archaeologist. How do I know if there is a Recorded Monument on my site? Record of Monuments and Places and Archaeological Constraint Maps The Record of Monuments and Places (RMP), which has been produced for each county, enables the public and the local authority to judge what proposed developments could potentially affect an archaeological site or monument and their settings and character. The Record of Monuments and Places and associated Archaeological Constraint Maps may be consulted in the planning office or in the county library. A list of licensed archaeologists is available from the planning office or the DoEHLG. Any works in relation to a Recorded Monument requires two months notice to the DoEHLG (Dúchas) under Section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act, 1994. A useful leaflet is Archaeology & Development: Guidelines for Good Practice for Developers, which is produced by ICOMOS and The Heritage Council and available in the planning office. Dúchas-The Heritage Service have published an Archaeological Inventory of County Galway: Volume 1: West Galway and Volume 11: North Galway. (The Archaeological Inventory for the South of the County has not been published yet.) These publications are available in the local libraries and from most bookshops. Zones of Archaeological Potential It is important to be aware that several of the urban areas in the county are Zones of Archaeological Potential.Zone of Archaeological Potential in the County includes Tuam, Athenry, Loughrea, Dunmore, and Eyrecourt. When dealing with urban areas it is important to consult the Record of Monuments and Places to ascertaining whether or not the area in question is a Zone of Archaeological Potential. Record of Monuments & Places - Siting issues Page no. 21 139138137 140
- Galway County Council Page no. 22 141 142 143
- Galway County Council Regional Identity “ Buildings, generated by pressing requirements of function, economy and beauty, were not invented anew for each project, but derived from long-lived architectural types inherited and acquired over time : the essence of the idea was carried around in the minds of their builders to be set down and adjusted to local conditions of climate and culture. Those who laid out the types always aspired to express it in a disciplined and perfect way; such a desire for formality exists throughout architecture, not adapted as an idea in itself, rather presented as the natural outcome of a logical , economic approach to construction.” ‘A Lost Tradition - The Nature of Architecture in Ireland’. E - Design - Rural context Page no. 23 Design approach Rural Vernacular The aim of this guide is to encourage design innovation which is contemporary in nature and of its time, just as our past built heritage was of its time. What is important with such innovation is that it reinforces the characteristics that have defined rural design over the ages. “Tradition does not mean preserving ashes, but keeping the flame alight “ - Jean Jaures. This section is aimed at those who prepare planning applications in an attempt to provide some form of coherence when dealing with simple, well-mannered and restrained rural design. It needs to be recognized that design issues relating to form, scale , mass, bulk and proportion are a skill which require great attention and where the detail reinforces this clarity. Getting these wrong will result in a house design which looks clumsy & cluttered where no amount of detailed frills will overcome this. Design aims The Irish Barn - t h i s i c o n i c v e r n a c u l a r typology provides a rich source for c o n t e m p o r a r y design inspiration. Such an approach can only but be encouraged as such a tradition is reinvented to reinforce our future heritage. 147146 155 156 157 158 159 154 153 152 148 149 151150 144 145
- Galway County Council Design - Contemporary lifestyles As we begin the 21st century, it is important that our buildings reflect the advances made technologically and environmentally which are now part of our modern lifestyles. At the same time it is equally important to have an awareness of our rural built heritage and the cultural aspects which are engrained in rural lifestyles. Those best qualified to address these issues are Architects and Designers who have provided these images. Page no. 24 Contemporary Design - The following images are examples of contemporary designs which respond to their site specific rural contexts. ‘Less is More’ - This dictum is well used within architectural circles, but is very appropriate when it comes to the design of modern rural dwellings. Such an approach will stand the test of time and provide a benchmark for our future heritage. The distinctive and iconic image of a simple robust exterior is something which has and should define our built heritage, as opposed to over-complicated forms and fussy detailing. These examples show how it is possible to combine a simple robust exterior and provide variety which responds to both site and climatic contexts. Our future is in our past “In a world patently losing its roots, the recognition of an Irish architectural tradition goes some way towards the reconstruction of fragmented identity, only through a clear-sighted reclamation of context can a new architecture grow to re-inhabit its rightful place as mediator between past and future.” ‘A Lost Tradition - The Nature of Architecture in Ireland’ Contemporary Lifestyles - Illustrating modern design which reflect the best principles of rural vernacular 160 161 162 171 172 173 174 175 176 170169 168 167 164 165 166 163
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- Galway County Council ‘The Irish Long-House’ The linear nature of the one room deep plan of celluar rooms delineated by thick crosswalls, defined a particular rural lifestyle. Where the basic provisions necessitated an enlargement, this usually resulted in a lateral expansion, never in depth. The existing gable wall simply acted as a cross wall limiting any structural considerations, with the existing roof simply extended along to a new gable wall, an economy of means whereby the volume was determined by the span of timber. Over time the basic typology of the vernacular cottage found other modes of expression, mainly adopting influences from a more formal classical tradition of regularity and neatness. Advances in material technology also had implications on the basic evolution of form. The manufacture of slate and corrugated steel allowed for reduced roof pitches, while the advances made in timber and concrete technology allowed for greater spans and thereby deeper plans. ‘Agriculture Courtyards’ The arrangement of outbuildings around the farmhouse, including haybarns, sheds, byres and bawn walls created an informal series of courtyards necessary for the purposes of agriculture - which today have some resonance as how best to break down the bulk and scale into careful massing studies. A Rural House - What are the Characteristics ? Page no. 26 C. 1800 Evolution of Form The development of the rural house in Ireland, to its present form has been shaped by the wider story of farming and country life. This expansion of agriculture and population in the preceding centuries in Ireland set the conditions for the construction of the vernacular cottage still imbedded within rural fabric of the Irish Country-side. An Irish ‘Long House’ Agricultural courtyards Contemporary ‘Long House’ C. 1930C. 1850 C. 1950 C. 2005 An Economy of Means. The advances made in material technology and economic prosperity has through the ages shaped out rural vernacular house. These images indicate such advances while maintaining the essence of those inherent characteristics which define a regions identity. “Building types emerged from a slow fusion of cultures and the practice of tradition, evolving slowly in response to changing needs and conditions; their study opens doors to allow comparison between forms in different eras and different cultures.” ‘A Lost Tradition - The Nature of Architecture in Ireland’. An Irish Barn 180 181 182 183 184 185 190189188187186
- Galway County Council Shape / Form The principle identifying characteristic of form is shape, which results from the specific configuration of a form’s surfaces and edges. Subtractive forms These forms are simple and geometrically regular and can adapt readily to subtractive treatment. These forms will retain their formal identities if portions of their volumes are removed without deteriorating their edges, corners and overall profile. E.g., A recessed porch or balcony Additive forms Can be characterized generally by their ability to grow and merge with other forms. In order to perceive additive groupings as unified compositions of form, the components must be related to one another in a coherent manner both in form and proportion. Articulation of form A form and its surface planes can be articulated by differentiating adjacent surfaces with a change in material, colour, texture or pattern. Rural forms - Shape, volume & surface Page no. 27 Single storey Rural characteristics • Simplicity of Form • Sensitive scaling relative to site context • Clear, neat & well defined front elevation • Good, well balanced proportions • Solid & honest construction • Quality, robust materials & details Long House ‘L’ form ‘T’ form ‘U’ form Storey + half No dormer Eaves dormer Double and slipped Additive / subtractive forms Two storey Simple two storey 2 Story + lean-to 2 Storey + gable 2 Storey single L Miscellaneous Thatch Tin hayshed Tin hayshed + lean-to Front barn Double parallel Small roof dormer 2 storey L gable Gable barn Note : These forms are for indicative purposes only, to indicate appropriate rural vernacular forms. These inherent characteristics should then be applied to strategies for a successful response to rural design.
- Galway County Council Pattern-Book designs The main disadvantages with this approach is that you end up with a design which has no specific relationship to its site. The result is a retro-fit design which may end up distorting the original design, proportions and appear awkward or ‘landed’ onto the site. Also these designs are at odds with the traditional rural vernacular characteristics which vary from region to region and reflect local climatic considerations in terms of orientation, layout and detail design. The following are a series of sketch illustrations which indicate the sub-urban character and forms. Another aspect to such misinformed design - is the shear quantity and general acceptance to this form of design, and how such precedent erodes into the traditional rural character of the built environment. This type of design is unable to evolve, as the criteria is of an ‘add-hoc’ nature and not a rational one. Suburban Forms Avoid pattern book designs Page no. 28 Sub– urban characteristics • Overcomplicated & un-necessary shapes & forms • Large & boxy relative to site • Un-necessary projections to make elevation appear busy, to substitute for poor design integration. • Proportions weakened by excessive elevation modeling • Use of mock styles • ‘Tack-on’ frills & extensive use of white plastic products Wide span gable - false arches Mansard roof+ Dutch hipped gable Dormor ‘Mock tudor’ Dominating hipped gable Sub-urban porch + garage Double gable - integrated garage Two Storey Miscellaneous 2 storey projection through single storey Classical ‘mock’ hipped portico ‘Mock’ heritage castle Excessive pitch + flat roof X Two Storey - bulky Projecting 2 storey bay from gable Arbitrary add-hoc ‘features’ The ‘bulk’ effect Projecting ‘features’ - unresolved plans Projecting bay gable - eaves dormer Twin gabled - dormer add-ons Hipped gable dormer - arched portico Note : These forms are for indicative purposes only, to indicate in-appropriate sub-urban forms. These characteristics should be avoided as they erode the character and legibility of rural design.
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