laurel hill report

DESIGN REPORT FOR THE PROPOSAL AT LAUREL HILL HOUSE AUG. 2006 J

OB NO.: - 2

006_02

1

OBA RIAI Registered

O’BRIEN ARCHITECTS LODGE AT THE HOLLIES, CEANCHOR ROAD, BAILY, CO. DUBLIN


OB NO.: - 2

006_02

2

OBA

Schedule of Accommodation August 2006

Ground Floor

2 Bed Apartment @ 93.4sqM 1No

2 Bed Apartment @ 86.7 sqM 5No


2 Bed Duplex apartment @ 123 sqM 1No

3 Bed Duplex apartment @ 123 sqM 2No

First Floor




Second Floor





Third Floor




Fourth Floor



Total: - 32 No. Units

Gross Area of Proposal 2840.8 sq/m

Car Parking Area 1164 sq/m

Basement Car Parking 40 spaces

Site Area 2740 sqM 0.274 hectares 0.677 acres

Public Open Space: 1702 sqM

Private Balcony Space to units: 518.9 sqM

Combined Open Space for Scheme: 2220.9 sq/M

Density of Scheme: 47.2 units per Acre


OB NO.: - 2

006_02

3

OBA

THE SITE

The site consists of the existing Laurel Hill house plus outbuilding and grounds, and the existing numbers 8 and 9

Laurel Hill comprising a site area of 0.677 Acres. An historical Map Search is attached.

DESIGN HISTORY

It was decided at an early stage to reject refurbishment of Laurel Hill house due to the degraded nature of the

house and to propose a new development of high quality units on the site.

The first scheme proposed on this site was a scheme for 42 units comprising a 4 storey linear block parallel to the

Upper Glenageary road with a smaller three storey block onto Laurel hill. This scheme had the advantage of

greatly reducing the overlooking to the existing housing at Laurel Hill and the adjacent Glenageary Woods by pre-

senting gables to these sides.

Subsequent to the first meeting with the planners and their observation that this proposal presented a monolithic

aspect to the Upper Glenageary Road, the block was broken up to present a variable edge to this side and a re-

vised scheme comprising a system of courtyards was proposed. This scheme comprised 34 no. apartments at a

density of 50 units to the acre and was deemed more acceptable by the planning authority.

SITE LAYOUT

The site layout consists of six blocks laid out around a system of courtyards joined by circulation space. Due to the

tight nature of the site and the planners’ requirement for a broken elevation presented to the Upper Glenageary

Road, the opportunity arose to design a scheme based around tight urban scaled spaces. The layout of these

spaces and the units fronting on to them is configured in such a way that there are no directly opposing habitable

rooms. This allows us to create spaces related is scale to the courtyards of Florentine palazzo whilst still abiding

by current rules on privacy protection.

Privacy Control Measures

The principle of the variably transparent / opaque box window was introduced to allow for control of overlooking

between adjacent properties whilst still allowing for a close urban relationship and sense of community and com-

mon aesthetic throughout the scheme.

Care was taken in the configuration of the units that advantage could be made at upper levels to protect the pri-

vacy to the existing adjacent housing. To this end there are no windows above second floor level overlooking ad-

jacent sites; all the windows to this level either face South West towards the Upper Glenageary road and a view

of the Wicklow Mountains, or face internally into a rooftop walled garden surrounded by a louvered cedar screen

that makes direct overlooking to adjacent housing impossible and forces the line of site over adjacent housing.

Palazzo del Medici-Ricardi, Flor- Palazzo del Barghello

Section through louvered cedar screen

Plan view to Central Square. Red Arrows denote direction of overlooking, Blue

lines denote elevations with no habitable room windows


OB NO.: - 2

006_02

4

OBA

Landscaping

Central to the site layout concept was the quality and position of the existing trees. The block layout is such that exist-

ing mature trees complete the proposed urban spaces fronting onto the Upper Glenageary Road. It was a design princi-

pal from the outset that as much of the existing vegetation as possible be retained and where necessary strengthened

to maintain and improve the character of the site.

The existing sunken nature of Laurel Hill house is retained and extended to ensure the mass of the scheme is reduced

and also to help create a microclimate to the landscaping at the centre of the scheme leading to a variation of experi-

ence through the site. In addition, the roof level of the blocks steps down toward the lower housing at Laurel Hill to

further reduce the massing and overshadowing to this side.


OB NO.: - 2

006_02

5

OBA

Unit Design

Due to the layout method of blocks linked by circulation, all apartment units within the blocks are double aspect.

All units within the scheme are larger than standard with 1-Bed units averaging 54 m2, 2-Bed units of 86.7 m2 and fam-

ily sized duplex units averaging 125 m2 .

In addition to the larger than average storage areas within the apartments, a basement storage area of 2.7 m2 is allo-

cated to each apartment which includes bicycle storage.

Passive Solar Design

Aside from the orientation of the units within the scheme, none of which have North facing living spaces, it is proposed

that a proprietary frameless wintergarden system be installed on all balconies to allow for usable floor space during

winter months. This will have a secondary function of increasing security to the half level units at the North East of the

site.

laurel hill report

Documents

bed apartment

bed duplex apartment

sqm density of scheme

sqm car parking area

sqm private balcony

sqm basement car parking

existing laurel hill

site layout