The most sustainable building is one that already exists …
Originally built as stately single-family homes for wealthy residents, Dublin’s Georgian townhouses have undergone continuous re-use and adaption over the centuries, including as tenements, bedsits and offices. That they can also be converted into modern homes while retaining their Georgian character is demonstrated by Lawrence and Long Architects, first in the award-winning Wainscoted on Northumberland Road, then in the renovation of 2-4 Wilton Place.
Dating from 1835, the townhouses at Wilton Place are fine examples of late Georgian architecture, having survived a spell as bedsits. The architectural challenge was to preserve the original spatial quality and any surviving features – including fine stucco-work, joinery and hand-painted glass – while creating contemporary apartments.
For new interventions, the architects chose high-quality and durable natural materials such as native stone, oak floors and white terrazzo. Decorative plasterwork was re-made by stuccodores taking moulds of the original detail.
Maximising orientation, space and light were key considerations for Lawrence and Long, who strategically placed living spaces to overlook the Grand Canal where possible. Modern kitchens and bathrooms were contained in freestanding pods to maintain the original spatial quality and architectural details of the rooms. The historic technique of wainscoting (wall panelling) has been reintroduced to conceal services.
Architect Joe Lawrence believes that, “Irish Georgian buildings are not only a direct link to our past, but they’re highly versatile and offer great potential through creative thinking.” He finds that local authorities are usually supportive to their adaptive re-use, so that they continue to contribute to the architectural richness of our urban centres, rather than them deteriorating.
“Reimagining existing building stock for new use is also very sustainable and assists in reducing our carbon emissions,” says the conservation architect. “However, good architectural conservation practice and compliance with current Building Regulations can sometimes contradict each other. In this project, considerable care was given to bring each unit up to current building code, while being very mindful of preserving original historical fabric.”
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