This tiny terraced fisherman’s cottage is located in the seaside resort town of Bray, Ireland. Built in the 1830′s, it had fallen into disrepair and was derelict when the owner engaged DMVF Architects to design a renovation. The goals of the project were to restore the exterior of the protected heritage structure and to modernize its interior.
With only 25 m2 (270 ft2) of interior space, there was very little room to fit the requirements of modern life. Architect Colm Doyle’s solution was to design a plywood box that sits in the tiny cottage, defining the spaces around it. The sitting room is to one side, the kitchen is on the opposite corner, and they are linked by a small entry hall alongside the box. A staircase built into the box leads up to a sleeping loft on top, and a bathroom and storage space are contained within it. The box itself was constructed of furniture grade birch plywood by skilled cabinetmakers. The warm tones and smooth finish of the plywood work well with the white walls and charcoal floor tiles.
