hill[side] HOUSE 

The house is situated into the side of a hill, with distant views toward The Rock of Dunamaise and closer views to Stradbally Hall- home of the Cosby family and more recently “The Electric Picnic”. Primarily, the site strategy is a clear one; instigate a number of coordinated cuts out of the ground and form a structure that involves itself with the demands of changing topographical conditions. The site is inscribed with an arrangement of house and outbuildings in an offset perpendicular manner.Although the house in read “in the round” with little hierarchy to finish or fenestration detail, the primary access is afforded by means of a bridging element that is immediately adjacent to a lower level courtyard. From this point of entry the internal and sectional arrangement of the house become more clear as one can read the lower bedroom courtyard set 3 metres below, whilst reading the internal plan by seeing though the main living and dining spaces from this point. The conventional living-bedroom arrangement is inverted in order that living spaces are afforded primary sunlight and views, whilst the bedrooms are more closely connected to the ground. A central stair moderates the plan on both floors, whilst visual connectedness is ensured by subtle offsets of structure and wall positions.

Design : Jason O'Shaughnessy [A537] with Adrian Hill [Site Architect]