Morrison Cottage

	MORRISON COTTAGE Culmore, Co Mayo
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Dream Homes Magazine - Article 1	rcwalter@yahoo.com	Circular Walk from Cottage

A few notes on the architecture and landscape design of the cottage

The cottage sits on a rock shelf overlooking south facing sloping ground. The original building was set back into the hillside, the back (top) room being higher than the rest of the building because of rock foundations. The hillside therefore seems to surround the building, and the building to emerge organically from the hillside. During reconstruction work part of this enclosing bank was removed but has since been reinstated to preserve the feeling of the building as part of the hillside

The new extension is both dramatically different, with its sweeping curved wall, smooth finish compared to the rough stone of the original, and yet also grows out of the hillside. This has been achieved partly by the wall curving so closely past the old stone shed and also the roof sweeping up and out of the banking and open space behind it. The abruptness of the connection between the old and new is lessened by inserting a lower, flat roof against the traditional slate of the old cottage before reaching the high level sweeping new roof. This new roof is also designed to have a "green roof" layer of sedum plants added at a later date, again to emphasise its connection with the hillside.

The curious window sizes in the curved wall are based on the same principles of those Le Corbusier and used at The Chapel, Notre Dame du Haut, known as Ronchamp. The sizes may seem random, but are based on the golden section but taken further by integrating the proportions of the human body. The effect is one of curious interest from the outside and a sense of satisfaction to look through from the inside.

The tall windows on the main bedroom, and the whole aspect of the view from the patio, are based around framing the view. Although the temptation is often to open up a view by removing obstacles in its path, the emphasis here is in ensuring the view is always seen through or next to something close to hand. The effect from the bedroom is one of comfort and security - from the vulnerability of the bed, looking out in the morning light across the expanse of valley, the narrow openings are like looking from the safety of the primeval cave on the unknown world.

Similarly from the patio, even with the doors wide open, the view is framed by the trees deliberately retained during reconstruction. The semi-circle of the patio, and the outer "ha-ha" type wall are centred exactly on the centre of the patio doors. The raised ground at the wall, slightly higher than the cottage floor, throws the eye up and over the trees at the bottom of the field to land on the distant hills.

One visitor described it as "a million dollar view" and one of the workmen commented they'd never really noticed it until the work was finished. In fact the cottage is not particularly high nor the view particularly grand, but the combination of architecture and landscape has made something good into something very special.

The architect was Mark Stephens