Number 13 Dufferin Avenue, Dublin 8, is a fine example of the perfect marriage between technology and architecture. The Victorian mid-terrace house was originally brought back into a single-family home by Irish-born architect Mark Guard, a founding member of London-based firm Guard Tillman Pollock, who specialise in high-end modernist buildings.
Guard’s work is best known in the most affluent areas of London, while a tiny apartment in Paris he designed was shortlisted for the pinnacle of awards: a RIBA Stirling prize in 1997.
The mid-terrace property at Dufferin Avenue was purchased by an architect and his wife — who works in technology — for €952,500 in 2019. Together they have upgraded what was already a superb balance between modernism and minimalism with significant investment, sleeker lines, warmer flooring and lots of storage.
“While the big architectural moods had already been made it was not completely finished, as there were no internal doors, so we installed pivot doors, which means that you don’t really notice them, and as they have no architraves there are cleaner lines,” says the architect owner.
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In addition, lots of clever storage was added to the 158sq m (1,699sq ft) property — which is not at all evident as it lies flush to the wall. Where the television now sits in the living room can be closed off for entertaining by a floating panel that also hides the AV system and whiskey bar.
The dining room now has concealed bookcases for the couple’s vast book collection, while the bracketry for the glass roof is now also hidden, so it appears to float over the mid-century dining table.
But the bits you don’t see are remarkable. First, the Ber of B1 is incredible for a house of its age. “We could not find the windows cert when the house was being assessed for its energy rating, but I am sure that if it was now done again it would more than likely get an A rating.”
Either way, it is a remarkable achievement. Other high specifications include a dimmable Click lighting system, and a sound system which can be controlled from anywhere on the planet that your phone works.
With its smart appliances you can control the likes of the washing machine to switch on remotely: if it is dull in the morning, but you know that the sun will come out later, you can wait and do it remotely so it works off the batteries and solar panels. Music to the ears of anyone who is dealing with high gas and electricity bills.
The house has two bedrooms on the first floor. It used to have three, but the two to the front have been amalgamated into a lovely principal bedroom.
At attic level is a guest bedroom and an adjacent office.
An added bonus, beyond the lovely west-facing garden which has sandstone paving, silver birch and Acers, is a garden studio. Measuring 23sq m, it has a shower room, fitted kitchen and pedestrian access to the rear. It is used as a gym.
What will appeal to buyers of 13 Dufferin Avenue is they will benefit from a high-tech house with low running costs, incoming air that is purified and where you can switch on the music from another continent all in the surrounds of an architecturally beautiful space with a minimalist feel.
Like the professions of its owners, it shows a great symbiosis between technology and architecture, and it is now on the market through Owen Reilly seeking €1.05m.
