Europe
Contemporary
new
wing
for
Martello
Tower,
Dublin,
Ireland
This unique residence on the Irish Sea in Dalkey, a suburb of Dublin, combines a historical structure with state-of-the-art construction methods. This project added a curved new timber-frame wing to a so-called Martello Tower.
These towers are small forts that were generally built in the 19th century at coastal locations in many regions across the British Empire. Their round structures and thick masonry walls protected them against cannon fire from enemy vessels.
- Year of construction: 2019
- Timber frame construction: Long Life Structures, Co. Galway
- Airtightness: Clíoma House, Co. Sligo
As part of this project, around 100 m² of floor space was added to the original tower (approx. 72 m²), which had previously been restored for habitation in the first decade of the new millennium.
The new wing, with its curved footprint, and the Martello Tower are connected by a new stairway. These stairs are the only way of accessing the tower – after all, defence forts didn’t have typical ground-floor front doors to make things easy for invading forces!
Finished indoor and outdoor walls in the hallway and a bedroom.
Inside the new block, a staircase as constructed using cast concrete to serve as part of the new access route to the historical tower.
How was this project implemented?
The interior and exterior walls consist of modular timber-frame elements. The exterior elements were covered with pro clima SOLITEX PLUS reinforced roof underlay to provide weathering protection.
The base was also protected with SOLITEX PLUS.
The water-resistant EXTOSEAL ENCORS sealing tape was used for the wall-base joint.
Installation of wall modules.
The concrete interior stairway and door frame are already in place.
EXTOSEAL ENCORS was also used in creating the sub-sill flashing and on the door sills.
The timber-frame wall and roof structure, set against Dublin Bay in the background.
INTELLO membranes were used for interior airtightness, which of course must also be ensured at cable feed-throughs. Cellulose blown-in insulation material was installed into the between-stud cavities in the walls.
