design,” says Tarla MacGabhann, whoconceived and executed the DolmenHouse with his brother Antoin andfellow architects Björn Patzwald andDermot Ryan.“Unlike in an urban setting, where

you can generate your concept from aman-made local landmark, this wasentirely rural and there was nothingman-made immediately nearby fromwhich to take our cue.”So the team turned to the local

landscape, which was ripe witharcheological inspiration: Gortnaverndolmen is only 2km from the site.“Gortnavern isn’t one of the more

Field of dreams Thedesign of the propertywas influenced byits rural location

Tomb with a view

CARRIED AWAYWe pick out trugs thatare as attractive as they

are useful P13

Rarely are architects required tomerge the megalithic with the modern.To the ear, the concept sounds clumsyand ill judged. Worse still, it riskshaving all the makings of a modern-daytourism interpretative centre: a lifelesspastiche of a place, emotionally andphysically removed from the very thingthat led to its existence.The Dolmen House is different. Like a

capstone on a standing stone, it hasperfect balance, combining theprehistoric past not only withmodernism but also a whiff of the future.From most vantage points, this is a

house that strongly echoes dolmens —the ancient portal tombs strewn aboutthe Irish countryside, some of which are5,000 years old. It is also the vision of afrankly modernist mind. You can read itas a 21st-century interpretation of themost ancient archeology the landscapehas to offer, but the squinting eye mightbe given the imposing impression of anewly landed spaceship.The 3,230 sq ft home, built across

three-quarters of an acre of rollingCo Donegal countryside, is on sale for€750,000 through Franklins.The Dolmen House, naturally, is not

a property that could be conceived inthe cold, detached confines of an urbanarchitectural practice. The team atMacGabhann architects, which wasbehind the project, donned welliesand walked the lands around thisremote site before the concept of thedolmen came into view.“Every site drives what the project will

look like, so a properly designed housewill never resemble another house. Thespecifics of its site are what generate the

H O M E

Dennis Gilbert

The Dolmen House, based on an ancient monument in the Donegal countryside, is a magicalcombination of prehistoric archeology and modern style, writes Dara Flynn

SUNDA

Y

1 0 / HOME

well-known dolmens in the country;it’s more low-key, but it’s very beautifuland more than 5,000 years old. It seemedthe obvious thing that would generatethe design for us,”MacGabhann says.The project’s earliest draft was a

scale model of the dolmen. “At first weweren’t sure what the model would giveus. It wasn’t as though the client hadsaid, ‘I want a house like a dolmen.’ Hehad asked for a high-end rural home,with this many bedrooms andbathrooms and a certain square footage,”says MacGabhann. “We also had aresponsibility to the local environment.So we began sculpting and honing thisdolmen to become the perfect responseto the brief, as well as a response to themicroclimate of the site.”The design ensured that the

occupants would benefit not only fromthe magnificent Donegal views but alsothe best solar gain, and it was drawn toinclude private outdoor spaces.“You bring those elements together,

and these things drive the design,” saysMacGabhann. “There’s no point havinga concept unless it meets all these othercriteria: views, the sun and privacyissues. There would have been little pointin building a beautifully conceived housethat had a kitchen the family felt theycouldn’t cook a dinner in. It would beridiculous to turn around and say to that,‘But what about the concept?’”The upper level of the building —

MacGabhann’s architectural response toa dolmen’s capstone — was constructedusing dark 12mm fibre-cement panelson a highly insulated steel-and-timberframe. “This was like a metaphor forthe stone of a dolmen — this material islike a man-made, poured stone,” saysMacGabhann.As a result this upper level appears to

be propped up by its lower floor, andcontains individual cocooned spaces:bedrooms and a large sitting room thatfeels enclosed and private, albeit withglazing to take in views of the undulatingcountryside. Underneath, the guidingprinciple was one of transparency, withan open-plan kitchen and large livingspaces surrounded almost entirely by

Light fantasticThe living spaceis enclosed andprivate, right;Gortnaverndolmen whichinspired thedesign, above;stairs lead tothe capstone-style upperlevel, below

stone on the entrance gates borderingthe site, and clad on part of the lowerelevation, is local, salvaged from theowner’s ancestral farmstead.“The client is a worldly person who

has travelled and has good taste. He’sseen plenty of stuff outside Ireland,including some spectacular Californianhomes, and was influenced by this inhis taste,” says MacGabhann.MacGabhann architects has executed

several rural residential builds, but isinfluenced heavily by internationalarchitecture, marrying avant-gardemodernism with local traditions. Itfollows that the Dolmen House’sinfluences are not solely prehistoric.Parallels have been drawn betweenaspects of the property and PavillonSuisse, Le Corbusier’s 1930 design forthe Cité Internationale Universitaire inParis. It too has a strong overhangingeave, but with a nod to open spacesand transparency at ground level.Le Corbusier used stones at the base ofthe pavilion that are similar in shape tothose at the Dolmen House.“Those stones bring a local note to

the home here but have a biginternational reference. And if it’s goodenough for Le Corbusier, it’s goodenough for us,”MacGabhann saysThe Dolmen House has an interior

fit-out to match its imposing good looks.This is a home laden with smarttechnologies, such as recessed halogen

glass, made possible by the immenseprivacy of the site. “It means theexperience of being in this building,on the top of a hill with views of thelandscape, is like being outdoors,but you’re warm and cosy,” saysMacGabhann.Skylights are important. There is one

at the top of the stairwell and anotherin the centre of the house that sucksdaylight down towards the dining area.“This wasn’t so much required to capture

daylight, but it means that in two parts ofthe house you can look up and see sky.As you go up the stairs, in a sense it’sas though you’re ascending towardsthe sky — this is metaphorically andpsychologically important, this ascensiontowards something godlike.”Although built two years ago, the

Dolmen House is rooted in the pastmaterially as well as conceptually. The

As you go up the stairs, it’sas though you’re ascendingtowards the sky — this isimportant, this ascensiontowards something godlike

13 . 07 . 2014 / 11

plus steps down to a seating area that hasan open fireplace serving the adjacentsunroom. The playroom, which couldserve as one of six bedrooms, is a brightdual-aspect room with pine floors andviews of Lough Swilly and thesurrounding countryside — including apeek at An Grianan Ailigh, a 6th-centuryringfort, beyond the lough. The officeis also double-aspect.As well as containing the sleeping

spaces, the upper level also has a sittingroom with impressive views and doors toa decked terrace. The master bedroom issplit-level, with a walk-in wardrobeand its own bathroom that includes afree-standing Victoria and Albert bathpositioned for the best view of thecountryside. A second large upstairsbedroom also has its own bathroom

facility, while the main bathroom has acontemporary Cersanit suite. Flooring isa mixture of pine and grey slate, and thehouse sits on three-quarters of an acre,laid mainly in lawn with laurel hedgerowto the boundaries, a wide grey slatewalkway surrounding the house, andprivate terrace and patio areas on theperimeter. There is a separate utilityroom with access to the garage, whichhas a glazed door to the side leading toan exterior carport.MacGabhann stresses that the

construction of the Dolmen Housewould not have been possible withouta contractor who understood andappreciated the project. Paul Doherty ofBlack and Doherty, a masterbuilder andfriend of the owner, was chosen.“Only a few builders early on could

recognise what a special design thiswas, and Paul took it under his wingand made it his project,”MacGabhannsays. “That architect-client-builderrelationship has to work for a project towork, and it functioned exceptionallywell in this case. He handled thegeometry very well.”

franklins.ie

The stones have a biginternational reference.If it’s good for Le Corbusier,it’s good enough for us

Head for the hillsThe views fromthe living area,above, and mainbedroom, left, arespectacular

spotlights, a smart home systemthat controls lighting and sound,electric remote-controlled blinds,air conditioning and solar heating tocomplement the oil-fired system. Thekitchen is a glossy, hi-tech model, withBosch appliances and a quartz worktop,

Dennis Gilbert