Project Description
We were commissioned to design a new 3 bed house for a family with historic connections to Ratoath
Village in Co. Meath. This family was deeply rooted in the area and therefore it was important that this house would
gel effortlessly into its surroundings . The form and layout was inspired by the local vernacular and in particular the
Irish farmhouse typology which exists throughout the region.The building was organised around three courtyards and
three chimneys.The external forecourt deals primarily with the arrival. The building itself is wrapped around an
internal courtyard with each wing carefully positioned in terms of its daylighting and privacy requirements. The
bedrooms and private spaces look outwards towards the landscape and the social spaces look inwards towards the
inner courtyard providing visual connections across the spaces. A third planted courtyard was positioned between the
external forecourt and internal courtyard. This blurs the boundaries between inside and outside. It also serves to
control views and the approach to the building as the inner world slowly reveals itself from the outside.
The rooms themselves were designed around optimising daylight penetration and framing particular views
appropriate to each of the spaces. In the dining room a long horizontal window frames a view through to the cattle
field behind, A low window in the bathroom gives glimpses into the courtyard without exposing the occupant and In
the Kitchen a high window scoops in the southern light and frames views of the beautiful Irish Cloudscapes and so
on. As the family was approaching retirement, the building itself needed to be calm, uncluttered and deeply
connected to nature. Pure, primitive forms were utilised and a simple pallet of materials to achieve this serene
atmosphere and produce a perfect place to relax. Timber, stone, plaster and bespoke minimal detailing were used
throughout the house. The benign was recessed and hidden and the meaningful artifacts of the occupants were
curated and displayed. The building was named Seoidin by the clients which means “little Jewel” in English which we
feel is a perfect description. The building appears simple and understated to the passerby and upon entering the
space, its ambiguity and spatial complexity slowly reveal itself and make for a house that is constantly changing and
evolving.