Project Description:

The site is located at 119 Drimnagh Road with a DCC Zoning Objective Z4. This is to provide for and improve mixed services facilities.

The design is for a new 14 unit apartment building (of which 1 apartment will be for affordable social housing) over a ground floor retail unit. The proposed design will complete the street frontage to the Z4 land designation at this location on Drimnagh Road. The adjoining sites have recently been completed with a number of retail and commercial units giving a new and lively public space along Drimnagh Road. This apartment and retail proposal will further re-inforce the ‘’new activity’’ at Drimnagh Road, providing a lively usage well into the evening time.

‘’Mixed primary uses, activate streets at different times of the day’’ – Jane Jacobs.

The design began with the idea of creating a building with an interesting modern and coherent form that would make a positive and distinctive contribution to Drimnagh with well laid out apartments availing of the sites excellent sun path. We were very conscious of providing a number of communal spaces to serve the needs of all age groups that may live at the apartment building, so therefore a series of well landscaped external spaces in varying locations will be provided for the enjoyment of all the residents. These pockets of communal spaces became a driver for the apartment design, with areas ‘’cut out’’ of the blocks to form the external spaces.

We looked at the views, the sun, and the wind – and orientated the apartments and in particularly the communal spaces to how best avail of the elements. It should be noted the 1 bed apartments avail of a westerly sun aspect.

The base of the building (retail unit) fronting onto Drimnagh Road is to be completed in glass to engage visually with the busy street-front so to continue the feel of openness and belonging with the retail units on the adjoining sites.

The upper 3 levels of apartments have been finished in 2 distinctive materials to respect\acknowledge the long standing houses along Drimnagh Road. A selected red brick is to be used for the front block form with a selected bright and light render to the inner block form. Well considered windows and their locations will fill the rooms with day-light. Louvered screen blades are proposed to the balcony areas for privacy, for both ‘’looking at and looking from’’ and these details introduce another feature to the overall design.

Parking for retail customers and apartment residents are provided in suitable locations.