Boat House, Lough Inchiquin.

A new timber boathouse on the shores of Lough inchiquin. Within the grounds of the 18th C Georgian Clifden House, the new building was built around an old stone quay. Considering the new buildings proximity to the Lake and Clifden House, a protected structure, the project was complex and required detailed and creative input from a wide range of collaborators throughout the project.

The building consists of a primary structure of timber portal frame with timber frame infill.

The timber frame sits via galvanized steel shoes on a concrete ring beam which sits outside the old stone quay. The walls of the stone quay were refurbished and rebuilt where required.

The exterior of the building is clad in vertical larch cladding and cedar shingles, which have begun to silver. This will allow the building to merge into the surrounding landscape.

The lower level of the structure is for the embarking, disembarking and storage of boats. The structure of the building is expressed in the boat store area.

A studio room sits on a mezzanine level above.  The building angles at this point to capture the view of O’Quin island and Mullaghmore beyond.  This view is framed with a large circular window. The studio room  is lined in poplar cladding in contrast to the skeletal nature of the boat store area.

Structural Engineer: Dennany Reidy Consulting Engineers

Main Contractor: Qcon

Photographs by William Hederman

Film by Tadhg O’ Sullivan