ARRANMORE HOUSING

Arranmore housing is the result of an architectural competition held in the spring of 1990.The site layout has been designed as a direct response to the existing contours, taking into account natural features, in particular the large rock outcrop which marks the site's southern boundary.

The site plan is generated by two curving lines following the contours and coming together to form a central space which uses the rock outcrop as a natural backdrop. This allows the group of houses to possess a sense of centre without insisting that all the houses relate to one another along a loosely defined street with the overall intention of providing both a sense of community and sense of privacy.

Levels of privacy and seclusion are determined by the position of the individual house relative to the centre and by the secondary layering of spaces within each pair of houses. These layers create spaces which range from public to private to virtually introverted. These factors allow the houses to respond to variations in weather conditions, time of day and seasonal variations.

The overall form is essentially traditional to relate to the housing patterns already on the island and throughout the county of Donegal. However, there has been an attempt to develop an architectural language which uses traditional elements in a contemporary way. For example, the enlarging of small traditional window elements to allow considerably more light to the interior and permitting internel spaces to experience the openness associated with contemporary living, while at the same time preserving the sense of dignity associated with the traditional cottage. Similiarly the fireplaces while practical in the modern sense echo the large open recesses found in traditional houses.

The materials are few and restrained black roofs, white walls and terra-cotta floors to provide a neutral backround for the changing user. The people themselves and their personal bellongings are the colour.

The surroundings and enclosing walls which also act as visual anchors are constructed in tratitional dry stone walling using local stone. These walls are sufficiently wide to allow the planting of indigenous herbs which would be availible outside each kitchen. The natural landscape of the island is being encouraged to return to the site, with all boulders and rock outcrops retained. The grasses, heathers and gorse of the island will gradually recolonise most of the site. Bearing in mind the nature of the island's landscape and its exposure no trees or shrub planting programme has been introduced.
The entire project was constructed by the Comharcumann themselves under the guidance of FAS.

Photographs copyright Kevin Dunne