Nov 24

AR Emerging Architecture 2009 Winner 2 of 4: Knocktopher Friary, Knocktopher, Ireland by ODOS Architects

The Architectural Review’s Emerging Architecture Awards, sponsored by Ramboll and Austin-Smith:Lord, celebrates the best pieces of design by young architects from across the world. The second winner out of the main four is ODOS Architects scheme for a friary extension and refurbishment in County Kilkenny, Ireland

Architectural Review readers will recognise this project which was entered into the 2007 Emerging Architecture Awards. Although not selected, the scheme held the jury’s attention and was rewarded in this years awards.

The project unifies friary and church with a new residential cloister. The masterful way in which this has been carried out is obvious in plan but could be overlooked when looking at these images.

After removing years of incremental expansion, and after negotiations with heritage officials, the architect’s cloister establishes two new axis. The  horizontal axis extends the floor level of the church across the entire precinct, whilst the vertical axis from the western edge of the cloister to the eastern facade of the friary links back to the church.

Through these two key controlling lines, ODOS’ trademark use of simple forms and stripped back materials has been applied to produce a harmonious new order.

Darrell O’Dononghue, co-founder of Dublin-based ODOS, describes the design rationale: ‘Our desire to keep things as simple as possible, to keep the parapets as low as possible and provide simple, unadorned elevations both inside and out, resonated with our client’s need for a series of calm residential spaces.’

Architect ODOS Architects
Associate architect O’Shea Design Partnership
Location Knocktopher, County Kilkenny, Ireland
Building type Friary
Photography credits Ros Kavanagh

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