The Cliff House,

Howth, County Dublin

The opportunity does however come burdened with a responsibility: in terms of the visual and physical impact that any intervention may have on this sensitive location. It became clear from 

the outset that whatever design was proposed would be an architecture of invisibility.

We recognise that, for a location such as this, 

the proposal should enhance and respect its environment, for us success will depend on:

By embracing on the ideology of integrating the proposal into its natural environment, there really was little left to design. Extensive glazing offering panoramic views from the new living spaces have been designed as horizontal slots and somewhat like a cliff edge allow the landscaping on the roof to spill over breaking up any hard lines.

Gabion cages filled with locally salvaged stones would act as the outer face of many of the solid elements of the structure and, again, cliff side would be encouraged to take root greening the structure over time. 

To assess the visual impact, throughout the design process, extensive 3d modelling was carried out and numerous photo montages prepared. It was clear that only the roof of the proposal would be visible from the public cliff path albeit by someone determined to peer over the high fence. Additionally the available views from the access road to the Bailey lighthouse were distant and the proposal largely obscured by the existing cottage.