My first commission was a riverside dayhouse in County Cork, a place where the River Ilen flows quietly towards the Atlantic. The beauty and power of the place alternatively drenched in rain or bathed in shafts of sunlight, captivated me deeply. My initial response was to question the need for a building.
The building’s challenge was to blend into the landscape without dominating it. I chose a traditional form and transformed it into a 20th-century glass house, integrating modern elements with the vernacular architecture of the region. The design incorporates a pitched roof—anathema to Modernism at the time—but necessary to withstand the fierce storms of Skibbereen. The building’s simplicity and clarity were essential, creating a space that engages with the land and offers panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.
| Client | Private |
| Location | Skibbereen |
| Status | Completed, 1998 |
| Sector | Residential |
| Size | 40 sqm |
| Awards | RIBA Regional Award 2003 RIBA Stephen Lawrence Prize 2003 |
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