Author: barros (Page 34 of 61)

The Secret Guide to Deal with Architects – Take 7

November 13, 2014 / barros / 2 Comments

Our 7th secret tip about how to deal with an Architect focus on the importance of the design process.

If you have just landed here do not miss our previous tips:

7. Enjoy the process

When you appoint an Architect you give her/him a problem to solve, a challenge to do. It may be a new house on a new site, it may be an extension to an awkward existing house, or improving a house layout that is not working, or a shop that is not attracting clients, etc, etc. In order to solve your problem the Architect will go through a design process that will consider a number of factors. Make sure you participate in this process by providing your Architect with a solid brief and by letting her/him know what are your likes/dislikes, aspirations and goals.

Hot tip: The first steps of the design process are hugely important, they are the foundations of your project. You should engage with your Architect as early as possible. If in doubt about what you want or need, ask your Architect for an opinion. Architects deal with a wide range of people and age groups, they may know better than you what you will need in 10 years time, for example. Listen, reflect and think. You may even realize you need to change the initial brief, but this is the moment to do it before the process develops to more complex drawings/documents. Remember to enjoy this process, it is often a life changing experience!

Go to Take 8 – Be Aware of Time

Start from Take 1 – Stages.

Phase 1 at Brandon House Hotel Nears Completion

October 30, 2014 / barros / 2 Comments

The original building of the Brandon House Hotel is a Protected Structure built between 1841-1874 and located in New Ross, Co. Wexford, Ireland. The property has been maintained reasonably well but many inadequate repairs have failed to resolve the problems. Isabel Barros Architects was appointed to assess the condition of the building envelope and provide recommendations and alternative solutions to repair and conserve the building.

The recommendations were consistent with the Burra Charter guidance. The Burra Charter is widely accepted as the standard for heritage conservation practice. Good conservation practices aim to promote minimum intervention into the historic fabric of a structure. Conservation works should do as much as necessary, yet as little as possible to the structure to ensure its future.

Isabel Barros Architects has also prepared Specifications for the emergency Works and administered the contract for Phase 1 of the Works.

The works involve replacing extensively eroded bricks with matching bricks, repairing minor erosion to bricks with colour matched lime mortar, removing cement mortar joints and cement renders, repointing joints with lime mortar, replacing chimney flashings and treating timber elements. Protum was commissioned to carry out the works.

New Farm House in Oylegate, Wexford

October 16, 2014 / barros / 4 Comments

Located in the heart of County Wexford in Ireland, the site enjoys beautiful landscape views. The client’s brief sought a simple residence with lots of natural light and a good connection with the landscape. The farm complex is quite dominant and sits interestingly on a different direction than the original farm house.

Our proposal was carefully designed to respect the site history while introducing a more contemporary volume.

The two main directions on site are the starting point for our proposal. The memory of the old house being replaced remains present. This volume is intersected by a lower, more contemporary, volume.

The new house respects the immediate surroundings either by the materials selected or the shapes and scale used.

The fenestration to North is reduced to the minimum to improve energy efficiency. The living spaces of the house are located to South enjoying most of the solar gains while creating a strong connection to outside.

Being aware of its rural location, the house is conceived as two simple volumes that mark each other by carving out a new relationship. The openings are treated as clean incisions that provide optimum views of the surrounding landscape.