The old semi-detached dormer bungalow was four rooms deep and four rooms wide: a domestic labyrinth on a large, valuable, and very wide site in Terenure, Dublin.
As architects, we realized that the most economical and best option involved almost complete demolition of the existing; retaining only the party wall and the front gable of the original house. Behind this, and below the original bungalow's roof profile, a new two-storey highly efficient house was built.
The new layout is centered around a dramatic toplit double-height hallway that bounces daylight around the interior. This leads to a large kitchen / dining / living area overlooking the rear garden. This new elevation is North-facing, and one side pops out in a graceful curve to catch late afternoon and evening sunlight.