Light, space and nature combine seamlessly in Ireland’s first Huf Haus, discovers Sandra Andrea O’Connell …
PHOTOGRAPHY BY EUGENE LANGAN
One of the most popular Grand Designs episodes features the arrival of a prefabricated home by Huf Haus, neatly stacked on trucks, on a quiet country lane in Surrey. It is then swiftly and expertly assembled – without a hitch – by German master craftsmen to the astonishment of presenter Kevin McCloud who marvels at its high standard of design and finish: “If Mercedes built houses, this is how they would do it.”
Prefab housing has come a long way and may just hold the answer to many of our modern housing issues, including the need for affordable and sustainable living spaces.
The proud owners of this first Huf Haus in Ireland are a couple who sought a more relaxed way of living and a connection to nature. They found it in the generous and light-filled two-storey contemporary spaces that characterise this modular design. Having lived in London for 20 years, they had visited several Huf houses in Surrey and were taken by the “overall sense of space” as well as the “precision, quality and solidity” of this prefabricated system with its iconic timber beams, white walls and floor-to-ceiling glazing. Both engineers, they were also attracted by the process-driven construction and assembly.
Their 324m2 house arrived early one morning to the site in Malahide, neatly stacked on the back of a long truck. By the end of the first day, three quarters of the ground floor was in place. Within two weeks the house structure was complete, fully glazed and watertight.
While the house is very transparent, mature planting and solid gable walls ensure privacy, with external blinds with horizontal moveable slats adding another layer of privacy and flexible sun protection, adapted to every season and time of day. The main structural material is a painted timber post and beam frame, with glass and solid wall infill. There is a white render finish on all solid walls.
The front exterior of the house with central main entrance and triple-glazed windows.
The interior has a dramatic double-height entrance space which opens into the generous open-plan living areas, instantly conveying the relaxed design language of this house. As the owners enjoy entertaining, a large living and dining space was a priority. They use “every inch of the ground floor”, moving around during the day with the light and enjoying the connection with the garden via the expansive triple-glazed windows. A favourite spot is the first-floor gallery which overlooks the double-height space and faces west: “We like to sit here in the evening with a drink, watching the sun set.” Everywhere on the ground floor there are views across spaces and out into the garden, Upstairs are four bedrooms – including one large master – each with their own well-finished bathroom.
Architect Denis Byrne PhD, MRIAI, who oversees the construction of Huf houses in Ireland, says that their modernist design, combined with generous interior space and floor-to-ceiling glazing, appeals to clients who like to be connected to nature, while seeking a high standard of specification. “This new home in Malahide is a highly energy-efficient contemporary house, designed for a family that wishes to live surrounded by light, air and open space. It is sympathetic to its context and in harmony with the broader landscape in which it is set.”
The design process begins with the submission of an initial design to the local authority for pre-planning consultation after which the final design is agreed. At this point, the cost of the house is calculated and the architects then submit planning application drawings and documents to the local authority. The client visits the Huf Haus factory and showhouse complex in Germany to choose every detail of the interior fixtures and fitting and a ‘fit out protocol’ is agreed and incorporated into the working drawing phase. All the elements (structural, heating, sanitary, electrical) are brought together in a production plan. Work in the factory normally takes in the region of twelve weeks, during which time the site is prepared and groundworks completed. Once the house is ready, it is put on lorries and transported by road to Ireland. The on-site construction stage is radically different from the traditional Irish build; the house that has been made in the factory in Germany is now completed on site by the German construction team. The building of the exterior structure of the house on the site takes one to three weeks (depending on size) and, once complete, the interior works start which, depending on the size of the project, take between twelve and 20 weeks.
This “turn-key” house system means that the underfloor heating system, a sustainable air-to-water heat pump, electrical installations, floor coverings – indeed everything above ground level – is included in the fixed price, as is VAT, delivery, architect’s fees. This financial certainty was an important deciding factor for the owners in choosing this system.
The house is highly insulated and energy-efficient; automated external blinds ensure that the house does not overheat, even on the hottest days, while the large glass panels allow the interior to benefit from passive solar gain in the cooler months. An air-to-water heat pump connects to an under-floor space-heating system and provides an even temperature all year round. All of the services are contained within the technology room.
The owners, who have come through their first winter in the house and are now enjoying the brighter spring evenings, say their new home still “feels like being on holidays”. They say it’s an incredibly tranquil and restful space. “We are always connected to the ever-changing sky and to nature, our home flows with the way we want to live”. www.denisbyrnearchitects.ie; www.huf-haus.com/en-uk/
The main structural material is a painted timber post and beam frame, with glass and solid wall infill. A white render finish on solid walls, gives the house its elegant modernist appearance.
Adding to the overall sense of space in this energy-efficient house is the generous floor-to-ceiling height, a lofty 5.61m (18.4 feet) for the double-height space in the dining area, to take advantage of light and views. At first floor level, it is 2.65m throughout, well above the standard floor-to-ceiling height of Irish homes.
View from the first floor gallery.
The bespoke kitchen opens to the living space and to the garden.
External shutters offer visual and glare protection, and above all, sun protection.
The house features a now all-important home office.
In addition to the master suite, the first floor provides three good-sized bedrooms, each with a private bathroom and internal balcony overlooking the dining room.
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