IRELAND'S most captivating "gingerbread" house, the Swiss Cottage near Cahir, Co Tipperary, has won a major accolade - the silver medal for restoration, awarded by the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland.
The medal was presented to the architect, Mr Austin Dunphy, of Dunphy O'Connor Baird, for saving a building of national significance as well as setting "a new benchmark for restoration projects in this country".
Mr Dunphy said the Swiss Cottage, which dates from 1817, was "on the verge of ruin" when it was first surveyed before restoration. The thatched roof had virtually collapsed and the interior was in an advanced state of decay.
The attractive "stickwork", which is a feature of the exterior, had practically disappeared, while the windows and doors were in a poor state. "The whole cottage was in a dismal condition," Mr Dunphy recalled.
A feature of the building, its green geometric trellis work, was discovered "quite by chance" when the architects noticed a pattern emerging from under the whitewashed walls as the sun was setting one evening.
This was restored and now forms a major part of the exterior decoration. Inside, the French Dufour wallpaper was fully restored, with missing portions reproduced, while replicas were also made of coloured, etched glass.
The architect of the Swiss Cottage is reputed to have been John Nash, who was responsible for designing many of London's Regency terraces and the Royal Pavilion, in Brighton, as well as Rockingham House, Co Roscommon, now gone.
The institute's silver medal for restoration is awarded triennially for projects of exceptional merit. The runner-up on this occasion was the Office of Public Works, for its restrained restoration of the Chanel Roval in Dublin Castle.
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