Galtee Lodge, Howth

This substantial house was designed to take full advantage of this fantastic site and the uninterrupted views that it offers over Howth harbour and towards Ireland’s Eye and Lambay. 

Approached from the North, the site rises by a full storey from the front to the back of the garden, enabling a two-storey dwelling with essentially two ground floors, both connecting directly to adjoining gardens. 

Respecting the site's topology and surrounding context, the dwelling is set into the sloping site, allowing two storeys to be presented to the street front and a single storey to the rear.

This design strategy was adopted to allow the main living spaces, located on the upper level, to open directly onto a large private back garden to the South and to enjoy the generous terrace, which offers spectacular views to the front. 

A very generous, open-plan kitchen-living-dining room running front to back occupies the majority of this upper level.  With high-level clerestory windows and a vaulted ceiling, the space is bright and spacious, with uninterrupted panoramic views of Ireland’s Eye and Lambay Island.  Large sliding doors open the main living spaces onto the front terrace, and extensive use of frameless glass balustrades ensures the terrace is sheltered without obstructing views.

A separate, more intimate family room shares a double-fronted log-burning stove with the main living space and also has access to the large terrace.  The double-height master bedroom suite is also on the upper level and has its own private terrace.

By locating the family bedrooms and playroom in a staggered arrangement at street level, the house's scale is fragmented and further integrated into the site and streetscape.  Each of the five family bedrooms opens directly to the outdoors and offers spectacular views.

Inside the front door is a spectacular bespoke curved-glass and steel stair set within a walnut-panelled entrance hall, beautifully lit by natural daylight from the clerestory glazing above. With extensive use of timbers, including walnut and oak, the interior materials are natural and textured, delivering a sense of warmth and luxury.

The house is highly energy-efficient and has low energy consumption. This was achieved through the use of high levels of insulation and particular attention to airtightness, allowing the internal environment of this large house to be kept comfortable with a very minor heat load.  Solar water heating also makes this a very cost-effective house to live in.

The Irish Independent property section recently ran a feature about this particular house, learn more here