urban agency's rustic house is sheds covered with rusted metal

architectural practice urban agency inserts modern architecture into the irish rural environment with its new ‘rustic house’. the project comprises three buildings each corresponding to a particular use.

taking the advantage of the local constant weather change, urban agency team selected the materials which would age beautifully. ‘in this project, aging and weathering serve as a critical design tool for thinking about how architecture might intercept the changing state of weathering on site,’ explains the team.

located on a sloping site, the pre-existing building has generated the shapes of two new similar ones, which now offer more living comforts to the inhabitants. emerging from the hill, the first south-facing building houses the bedroom. meanwhile, the second building contains a bathroom with a double height shower. the buildings are connected by an underground corridor.

the old building — which is a living room — is renovated in a rustic style with modern elements. the new buildings are entirely made of concrete covered with rusted metal which contributes to the idea of natural aging of materials.

project info:

size: 58 sqm
location: kerry, ireland
client: withheld
team: urban agency, CORA (engineers)
type: house extension
status: completed 2018