Architects: Joseph Mackey Architects
Year: 2026
Photography: Aisling McCoy
Structural Engineer: David Lynch
Contractor: Colm Molly
Drawings and Model Photography: Joseph Mackey Architects
Location: County Laois
Country: Ireland
New dwelling house in Co Laois, designed by Joseph Mackey Architects, is a family residence situated within a densely wooded landscape in County Laois, Ireland. The design establishes a contrast between the low horizontal roof profile and the vertical presence of the surrounding trees. Organized around an orthogonal plan oriented in relation to the cardinal directions, the house features deep brick facades that frame views while creating a sense of enclosure, refuge, and privacy. Recessed openings provide shading during summer and sheltered outdoor spaces during rainfall. The interior layout follows the distinction between served and servant spaces, with principal living areas occupying larger, open portions of the plan and sleeping quarters arranged as smaller, enclosed rooms with controlled light and views. A central service core accommodates building services, plant, and storage. Movement through the residence is conceived as a spatial sequence of enclosure, compression, and release. Externally, tall brick columns rise above existing hedgerows, creating vertical markers that contrast with the horizontal mass of the brick walls. Expansive glazing softens the building’s solid appearance, while projecting brick garden walls extend outward in a pinwheel arrangement to define gardens and courtyards within the wooded setting.
New dwelling house in Co Laois, designed by Joseph Mackey Architects, is a residence for a young family situated within a densely wooded setting in County Laois, Ireland. The low horizontal roof profile establishes a deliberate contrast with the vertical presence of the surrounding trees, while the orthogonal plan is positioned in relation to the cardinal directions.
Deep brick facades frame views of the landscape, balancing openness and refuge. Recessed openings provide shade in summer and sheltered outdoor spaces during rainfall, allowing the building to respond to seasonal conditions while staying connected to its wooded surroundings.
The internal arrangement distinguishes between served and servant spaces. Principal living areas occupy the larger, more open portions of the composition, while sleeping areas are organized into smaller, enclosed rooms with controlled light and views. A central core accommodates building services, plant, and storage. Movement through the house follows a spatial sequence of enclosure, compression, and release.
Tall brick columns extend above the existing hedgerows, establishing vertical markers in the landscape that contrast with the predominantly horizontal mass of the brick walls. Expansive glazing visually softens the building’s solid form, while brick garden walls extend outward from the dwelling in a pinwheel arrangement to define gardens and courtyards.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: County Laois, Ireland
The location specified is intended for general reference and may denote a city or country, but it does not identify a precise address.
