The site is situated adjacent to Coliemore Harbour in Dalkey. It is bounded by the sea and Dalkey Island to the East and Coliemore Road to the West. The challenge of the brief was to construct a multi level dwelling closer in form to a lighthouse than a conventional house onto a site of complex geometry and multiple level changes down to the foreshore and the sea. The response was to design a modest, insignificant granite entrance pavilion at ground level that makes reference to the nearby Martello Tower on Dalkey Island with an open garden/terrace which does not prepare the visitor for the unique drama of the seaward elevation at the lower levels. The house incorporates a granite faced concrete pier-like breakwater to create a calm tidal rockpool. The breakwater, which is submerged during the twice daily high tides, has stepped access to the large pool and also into the sea recalling this sites former use as a Victorian women’s bathing place. It is designed on two levels. The two storey section containing the entrance block, living, dining areas is connected by a central top-lit double height stair hall to the screening cinema, bedrooms and spa that extends across the full length of the site at the lower level. These lower level rooms are very private spaces and are linked directly to a granite terrace overlooking the tidal rockpool and Dalkey Island. This subterranean level has a cave-like section with a deep plan and floor to ceiling glass towards the sea views. Natural light is introduced along the length of the rear wall of the Cinema using a 10m continuous roof-light which has automatic black out and a clear span toughened glass roof-light to the two storey stair well. The concrete retaining walls are re-clad sustainably using old granite rocks from the site to create a continuous, uninterrupted sea wall and tidal rockpool. John Feely: senior architect, design and contract management at de blacam and meagher architects 1997- 2007. RIAI Regional Award 2006
