Appliance of nanoscience transformed this tiny €395k Ringsend cottage

When it comes to designing a home, one of the trickiest challenges is a limited space. Taking in light, flow and views are one thing, but marrying this with clever storage is one of the ultimate challenges for an architect.

At 10 Pigeon House Road, architect Alan O’Connell from OC Architects in Ranelagh was given the task of designing a new home with an existing house that measured just 43sq m/463sq ft. But beforehand, the owners – who purchased the property at the end of 2016 for € 275,000 – had done quite a bit of homework on how best to use the limited space.

“We did a lot of research by looking at the marine industry to get ideas on how small spaces can be utilised, and we also went to Hong Kong to visit the Edge Design Institute as they are noted for nano design and making small areas work.”

The Edge Design Institute, founded by Gary Chang in 1994, is an award-winning design studio, which was recognised by DOMUS Magazine as one of the top 100 best architectural firms in the world.

What the couple – who are now trading up with their growing family – learned on their Hong Kong trip gave them ideas for their kitchen island, an office that converts to a bedroom in minutes, a hidden space for a piano keyboard, and bookshelves set into their staircase.

"Initially when we went to look at kitchens, we were told that the space was too small to have both an island and a dining table, but working with our architect and joiner Gerry Farrell, we came up with a custom table attached to the island. It normally seats two but can open out to take eight. In addition, we learned by using good joinery, how an office can become a bedroom by lifting up the desktop and pulling out a sliding bed that's concealed in the wardrobe."

For the piano – which is a full-sized keyboard – a very clever design plan was employed. It hides seamlessly under an oak frame on one side of the timber stove and when it is closed you would never know that it was there.

Essentially all that remains of the original house – the pictures of which are still online – is the front facade, which has now been completely revamped. The rest is a new build, and the design by Alan O’Connell added an upper floor and courtyard, so the property now measures 61sq m/657sq ft internally.

However working within small or non-standard spaces comes at a price and the majority of the fittings, including angled glass in the courtyard, kitchen and bathroom had to be custom made.

This section of Pigeon House Road runs parallel to the river Liffey and also overlooks the road leading to the East Link Bridge – a route that can be heavy with traffic at rush hour.

“While some architects and designers might say looking at the house externally that the Velux windows are not symmetrical, this was done on purpose so we would get the best views of the passing boats but not the road traffic,” the owner says.

The courtyard to the rear also deserves a particular mention as it not only brings lots of light in via its south-facing aspect, but it opens through sliding doors to give a bigger kitchen for entertaining purposes.

This transformation of a dark cottage to a bright open-plan room downstairs, with a full bedroom, bathroom and a small office that transforms into a single bedroom for overnight guests is an excellent example of good design that really maximises space, light, storage and views.

Number 10, which is just a 10-minute walk from Grand Canal Basin and bordered by playing fields and tennis courts to the rear, is on the market through Owen Reilly seeking €395,000.