This is a tremendous achievement that demonstrates our team’s hard work, creativity, and dedication to delivering exceptional architecture services to our clients.
Being selected as one of the 25 best architecture firms in Ireland is an incredible honor, and we are immensely proud to be a part of this prestigious list. We will continue to strive for excellence in all that we do, and we look forward to many more years of delivering exceptional architecture services to our clients.
Isabel Barros Architects was commissioned to redesign the 800m2 amenity building of Burrow Holiday Park in Rosslare, as part of the park’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of facilities and services.
The new design aims to create an attractive building that is aligned with the brand’s vision and core values.
The proposal prioritizes environmental sustainability by retaining most of the original building’s fabric, minimizing waste and reducing the project’s carbon footprint.
Breaking the monotony and heaviness of the existing building was one of the primary challenges. The unsightly fire escape staircase already in place posed an additional challenge. The internal layout was dysfunctional, failing to provide the necessary circulation flow, while a significant unused space existed upstairs.
A key element of the new proposal is the conversion of the unattractive fire escape stairs into a focal point that adds aesthetic value to the building’s exterior. This new feature becomes a prominent design element that is consistently integrated throughout the project.
The design emphasizes the prevalent use of timber boards within the park by incorporating them as a key material. The new timber boards are used to break the horizontality of the building while introducing an undulating pattern that evokes the proximity to the sea.
To establish a clear hierarchy for the building’s entrance, the proposal includes the addition of a new pergola. The pergola also aims to provide shelter and shade to this elevation that is south facing.
The internal reconfiguration involves the addition of a strategically located new staircase, which contributes to a functional and practical layout by creating straightforward and accessible circulation routes.
Additionally, the external spaces adjacent to the building were redesigned to incorporate attractive surfaces and landscaped areas that can soften the appearance of the area and provide appealing socialising spots.
Our client was ‘blown away’ by the transformation.
The Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) is a new tax that was introduced in Finance Act 2021. It applies to land that is both zoned as suitable for residential development and is serviced, and it will be first due in 2024.
Ireland requires increased housing supply to meet our housing needs. The RZLT aims to incentivise landowners to activate existing planning permissions for housing on identified lands, or to engage with planning authorities and seek planning permission on land which is suitably zoned and appropriately serviced.
RZLT is a self-assessed tax. Land which appears on a residential zoned land tax map published by the relevant local authority is within the scope of the tax, and so land owners are required to review these maps to confirm whether their land is subject to the tax.
While residential properties are included on these maps, owners of such properties are not liable for the tax if they are already subject to Local Property Tax (LPT).
How will land owners in Wexford know if their land is subject to RZLT?
Wexford County Council has published maps that identify the land that is within the scope of RZLT. The maps can be consulted here:
Wexford Residential Zoned Land Tax Map
The maps cover the following areas: Bunclody, Courtown & Riverchapel, Gorey, Rosslare Harbour and Kilrane.
At the time of writing these maps were at Draft stage. Submissions were closed on 1 January 2023. A local authority may, in exceptional circumstances, accept submissions relating to a draft map after 1 January 2023.
Local authorities will publish, no later than 1 December 2023, a final map for the purposes of identifying land within the scope of RZLT.
Isabel Barros Architects - Wexford is driven by a passion for creating high quality contemporary Architecture. Our goal is to make good design available to the general public while maintaining a strong focus on the energy efficiency and sustainability of our designs.
A graduate of Lusíada University in Lisbon, Portugal, Isabel is a Senior Architect with over 25 years experience. She is a registered member of both the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) and the Portuguese Association of Architects. Isabel is also Accredited in Conservation at Grade 3.
