Rural Design Advice for Individual Houses

1. Page 11

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   C o u n t y L i m e r i c k : R u r a l D e s i g n A d v i c e f o r I n d i v i d u a l H o u s e s i n t h e C o u n t r y s i d e 7. E V O L U T I O N O F T H E C O U N T R Y H O U S E 2. Castles and Fortified Houses In medieval times defence was the main priority and the tower house a common feature of the landscape. Although now mostly in ruins, many examples survive and the number of castles in Limerick exceeds any other county in Ireland. The late 16th/early 17th century saw gradual change from well-defended but uncomfortable tower houses to more commodious, better lit accommodation, with an increased emphasis on privacy. As defence became less of a priority, the surrounding high walls were adapted to form an enclosed courtyard, extending the influence and reinforcing the domestic uses of the dwelling. Massive chimney stacks, usually on gable ends, were a common feature. Stairs were often added to an adjoining tower, rather than within the house – reinforcing the simple L, T and H shaped courtyard plan forms. By the 18th century, most of the fortified houses had been enlarged and altered, for practical reasons but also to reflect the architectural fashions of the day and the desire for imposing a new Classical order on the landscape. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

2. Page 12

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   C o u n t y L i m e r i c k : R u r a l D e s i g n A d v i c e f o r I n d i v i d u a l H o u s e s i n t h e C o u n t r y s i d e 8. E V O L U T I O N O F T H E C O U N T R Y H O U S E2. Classical Houses Around the early 18th century the undefended Classical house with stables and outbuildings, developed from the fortified tower house and became the dominant feature of the landscape - commonly known as the ‘Big House’. The distinctive features of these usually lavish houses included an imposing tall box form, typically square or rectangular with pedimented front and lines of regular Georgian windows. The defensive bawns were replaced by walled gardens. The Big House, often sited in a demesne with high walls and set in a designed landscape of walks and vistas, retained a sense of defensibility through a solid, closed quality – echoing the tradition of the tower house. Although such houses were often of a grand scale, they presented a simplicity and clarity of plan and elevation, reflecting scarce resources and close proximity to agricultural reality. Many shared a formality and symmetry which was to become influential in a wide range of 18th century buildings, giving a formal tradition that extended from simple farmhouses to the largest mansions. 15. 16. 17.

3. Page 13

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   C o u n t y L i m e r i c k : R u r a l D e s i g n A d v i c e f o r I n d i v i d u a l H o u s e s i n t h e C o u n t r y s i d e 9. E V O L U T I O N O F T H E C O U N T R Y H O U S E 2. Country Houses In the late 18th and throughout the 19th century new twostorey and slated houses were increasingly built for the minor gentry, prosperous farmers and professional people. These often substantial dwellings, developed as elaborations of the basic vernacular patterns, reflected the emergence of a clear social hierarchy within the rural population. Two slightly different house types emerged - one with pitched roof and chimneys on gable ends, and the other with hip-ended roof with chimney stacks on either side of a central hall. Both types adopted features from formal houses, such as large symmetrical windows and central (direct entry) front door with a ‘Georgian’ fanlight above. All tended to conform to the vernacular pattern of simple plan form, one or two bay deep, arranged around a central hallway. The main exterior elevation was plain without detail or additions. Larger, more elaborate versions of both are also common, including some 3- storey examples. 18. 19. 20.

4. Page 14

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   C o u n t y L i m e r i c k : R u r a l D e s i g n A d v i c e f o r I n d i v i d u a l H o u s e s i n t h e C o u n t r y s i d e 10. E V O L U T I O N O F T H E C O U N T R Y H O U S E2. Vernacular Cottages Expansion of agriculture and the rural population during the 18th and early 19th century led to the construction of familiar ‘cottage’ architecture located on the estates of the Big House, in farmyards and by the side of roads all over the country. These humble dwellings, developed from the archaic structures of long houses or byre dwellings, presented a natural classic balance in the arrangement of simple materials and structure. Predominantly single-storey with a simple rectangular plan, the vernacular cottage was rarely more than one room in width and with each room opening into the next without a passage. Nearly all were of rubble stone and mudwall construction, with primitive roof trusses, and sod or thatch oversailing roofs. Simple doorways and small square windows were located on side rather than end walls, often randomly placed but mostly central to the main elevation. Walls were thick plastered and whitewashed. Many older cottages were enlarged incrementally to meet the specific requirements of the family, sometimes by elongation (incorporating attached byres and sheds into the house) or by additions to the original structure to form domestic courtyards. Public Rural Housing The cottage vernacular was carried into the 20th century with rural public housing, when local authorities rehoused large numbers of low income groups from often insanitary accommodation. These County Council pattern-book houses were essentially improved versions of traditional dwellings Hipped roofs were replaced with gables and thatch with slates. Windows were arranged symmetrically around the front door. The pitched roofs, usually with a central chimney, contained lofts lit by gable windows, providing bedrooms on an upper floor. Numerous examples were built in small groups, close to the large estates and main cities. More were provided for ex-servicemen after World War 1. The simple houses were often painted and personalised in various other ways to meet the requirements of the owners. 21. 22. 24. 23.

5. Page 15

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   C o u n t y L i m e r i c k : R u r a l D e s i g n A d v i c e f o r I n d i v i d u a l H o u s e s i n t h e C o u n t r y s i d e 11. E V O L U T I O N O F T H E C O U N T R Y H O U S E 2. Main Features of the Traditional Rural County Houses Country House  Two-storey, formal architectural tradition.  Deep elementary rectangular plan, usually one room deep.  Rendered stone construction with slate roofs.  Simply proportioned, symmetrical arrangement of windows around central door.  Central hallway giving access to two ground floor rooms occupying full width of house.  Two or three bedrooms on upper storey.  Sometimes large scale and with sufficient space around to form a presence in the landscape.  Consistent roof pitch (40o-50o), with either chimneys on gable ends or located centrally.  Hipped or gabled slate roofs.  Slates flush with eaves and gables (no overhanging eaves or barge boards).  Large windows with vertical emphasis.  Georgian fanlight above front door.  Outbuildings/walled enclosures to side or rear, usually developed as a composition and shaped into courtyards.  Often formal garden to front, with working courtyard to rear.  Similar forms widely built up to the 1950s. Adaptation of traditional forms Vernacular Cottage  Single-storey, vernacular tradition.  Elongated rectangular plan, one room deep, giving long low frontage.  Simple structure of locally-available materials (stone, timber, thatch/slate).  Entrances and windows placed on side rather than end walls.  Direct-entry door, usually placed centrally.  Each room opening onto next without passage or central hall.  Modest scale, low ceilings and eaves level.  Consistent roof pitch (40o-50o), with single chimney usually located to one side of the door.  Hipped or gabled roofs, thatch replaced with slate (or corrugated iron).  Slates flush with eaves and gables (no overhanging eaves or barge boards).  Roof space sometimes used for bedrooms.  Rendered and painted walls.  Sheds and outbuildings incrementally added, often forming sheltered cluster.  Generally located where sheltered from wind, using landform to create improved microclimate.  Porch as a common addition.  Developed forms include rural public housing with attic bedrooms and, more recently, the dormer house.

6. Page 16

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   C o u n t y L i m e r i c k : R u r a l D e s i g n A d v i c e f o r I n d i v i d u a l H o u s e s i n t h e C o u n t r y s i d e 12. E V O L U T I O N O F T H E C O U N T R Y H O U S E2. Modern House Types Bungalows The bungalow type of development that is now allpervasive in rural areas was for the most part greatly influenced by foreign suburban house catalogues of the 1960s and early-1970s. Typified by a large mixture of often contrasting materials, disproportionate windows, expansive low pitched roofs, suburban-style landscaping and rigid siting, the majority of modern bungalows have little or no reference to the more traditional building types of the county. Dormer Houses The dormer house emerged from the 1960s onwards in response to gaining more accommodation in the roof space. Most were derived from pattern-book designs that had no basis in traditional architecture, resulting in an uninhibited range of mostly suburban forms and styles. Typically comprising irregularly pitched and shaped roofs, asymmetrical elevations, ill-proportioned doors and windows, artificial materials and elaborate detailing, together with often poor siting within expanses of lawn, the dormer house usually appears alien to the rural surroundings. Two-storey Houses Numerous large two-storey houses in a wide variety of styles have been more recently constructed throughout the county to meet the growing demand for living in the countryside. Whereas many of these may make reference to traditional forms, the majority appear overscaled or unnecessarily elaborate in their detailing. The simple elegance of vernacular buildings has been avoided in the quest for making individual statements, while innovative design in a contemporary form is rarely achieved.

7. Page 17

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   C o u n t y L i m e r i c k : R u r a l D e s i g n A d v i c e f o r I n d i v i d u a l H o u s e s i n t h e C o u n t r y s i d e 13. S E L E C T I N G T H E S I T E 3. 3. Landscape Character Site Location Using Natural features Existing Development Pattern Roads and Infrastructure Site Orientation Site Selection Checklist Selecting the Site

8. Page 18

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   C o u n t y L i m e r i c k : R u r a l D e s i g n A d v i c e f o r I n d i v i d u a l H o u s e s i n t h e C o u n t r y s i d e 14. S E L E C T I N G T H E S I T E3. Landscape Character Careful siting and location of new housing in the countryside are essential to achieve sensitive development. Much of the character and quality of the countryside in County Limerick stems from the presence of a range of traditional buildings, local styles and local materials. Rural buildings are an important part of the culture, contributing to regional identity, and have developed in response to their setting and their function on the land. New buildings need to respect that long-established link and not attempt to dominate the landscape. County Limerick has a very varied landscape. Much is low and undulating, particularly in the east (Golden Vale), but with considerable elevations to the fringes – including the Galtee mountains to the south-east. Ten landscape character areas are identified in the County Development Plan where it is necessary to promote distinctiveness and to ensure appropriate forms of development. These landscapes have different capacities to accommodate development. It is therefore crucial that the proposed location and siting of new housing fully considers the impact on the landscape, in terms of both the immediate and wider surroundings. Particular care needs to be taken to protect those features that contribute to local distinctiveness, including:  The pattern of landscape features (land-cover, habitats, trees, hedgerows);  Historic and archaeological areas and features;  Water bodies (including rivers, lakes, streams and ditches); and  Ridges, skylines, topographical features, geological features, and important views and prospects. If a proper fit in the landscape is not achieved, then even a well-designed building can fail

9. Page 19

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   C o u n t y L i m e r i c k : R u r a l D e s i g n A d v i c e f o r I n d i v i d u a l H o u s e s i n t h e C o u n t r y s i d e 15. S E L E C T I N G T H E S I T E 3. Designing with the Landscape Overall, a well-designed house must be sensitive to the particular landscape in which it is set. It must be informed by and respond to it, in a way that reinforces the local character and distinctiveness of an area. County Landscape Character Areas: 1. Slieve Felim Uplands 2. Shannon Estuary 3. Western Hills/Barnagh Gap/Sugar Hill 4. Southern Uplands 5. Knockfierna Hill 6. Agricultural Lowlands 7. Ballyhoura/Slieve Reagh 8. Galtee Uplands 9. Lough Gur 10. Tory Hill For the purposes of this Design Advice the 10 County Character Areas have been grouped into the following 4 landscape zones:  Agricultural Lowlands  Shannon Estuary  Central Uplands  Peripheral Uplands Limerick County Landscape Areas 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

10. Page 20

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    C o u n t y L i m e r i c k : R u r a l D e s i g n A d v i c e f o r I n d i v i d u a l H o u s e s i n t h e C o u n t r y s i d e 16. S E L E C T I N G T H E S I T E3. Agricultural Lowlands Houses located in this character area are often visible for many miles, especially where vegetation is more sparse and if viewed from higher locations. Generally where new housing is permitted, it should be located in relation to existing features such as hedgerows and trees in order to help absorb the impact on the flat landscape. Locally prominent sites should be avoided. Subject to the location, two-storey designs based on the proportions of building forms traditional to the area may be appropriate. In more exposed locations, screen planting and, where appropriate, sensitive earth moulding would be required to help assimilate new development. The favourable soil conditions provide an opportunity for increasing tree cover to enhance the settings of isolated houses and the landscape structure generally. Agricultural Lowlands This is the largest landscape character area of the County, comprising most of the central plain. The area is predominantly agricultural, mostly defined by wellestablished hedgerows and clumps of mature trees. Locally prominent hills and ridges add interest to the otherwise flat landscape. There are a number of relatively prosperous estate and two-storey farm houses, often with outbuildings arranged around courtyards. The largest towns are also located on the plain and the rapid urbanisation of the county is most evident in this area. Ribbon development extending from the urban centres, housing estates on the periphery of towns and villages, and numerous one-off houses can be discordant features of the countryside.26. 27.

Source Limerick City and County Council: Rural Design Advice for Individual Houses (July 2012) · 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.