Rural Design Advice for Individual Houses in the Countryside

2.EVOLUTION OF THE COUNTRY HOUSEModern House TypesBungalowsThe bungalow type of development that is now allpervasivein rural areas was for the most part greatlyinfluenced by foreign suburban house catalogues of the1960s and early-1970s. Typified by a large mixture ofoften contrasting materials, disproportionate windows,expansive low pitched roofs, suburban-style landscapingand rigid siting, the majority of modern bungalows havelittle or no reference to the more traditional building typesof the county.Dormer HousesThe dormer house emerged from the 1960s onwards inresponse to gaining more accommodation in the roofspace. Most were derived from pattern-book designs thathad no basis in traditional architecture, resulting in anuninhibited range of mostly suburban forms and styles.Typically comprising irregularly pitched and shapedroofs, asymmetrical elevations, ill-proportioned doorsand windows, artificial materials and elaborate detailing,together with often poor siting within expanses of lawn,the dormer house usually appears alien to the ruralsurroundings.Two-storey HousesNumerous large two-storey houses in a wide variety ofstyles have been more recently constructed throughoutthe county to meet the growing demand for living in thecountryside. Whereas many of these may makereference to traditional forms, the majority appear overscaledor unnecessarily elaborate in their detailing. Thesimple elegance of vernacular buildings has beenavoided in the quest for making individual statements,while innovative design in a contemporary form is rarelyachieved.12.County Limerick: Rural Design Advice for Individual Houses in the Countryside