Brick Thickness Project by A2 Architects in Dublin, Ireland

Project: Brick ThicknessArchitects: A2 ArchitectsLocation: Dublin, IrelandArea: 376 sfPhotos by: Provided by A2 Architects

Brick Thickness Project by A2 Architects

The Brick Thickness project is a design by A2 Architects located in Dublin, Ireland. This modern home offers a modest 376 square feet of living space. It features an open layout that extends to a small backyard.

The introduction of the light rail Luas along the old Harcourt Street railway line has led to a blending of private and public zones for houses facing the rail line. This phenomenon reverses the typical arrangement, presenting the back of homes as a new front facade.

This project creates a buffer in the form of brick thickness added to the back of one such house. The new family room, extended kitchen/dining area, and enlarged first-floor bedroom are placed within this thickness. The smooth form of the brick shell provides both protection from passing traffic and an open view toward the south and west directions of the backyard.

Windows and doors built into the brickwork emphasize the tensioned brick shell: corner windows project outward to align with the brick course, while a sliding door opens inward, creating a deeper central niche. A smaller additional opening is cut into the brick to allow light penetration onto the kitchen work surface. A roof window with deep barriers connects the existing house with the new brick extension, allowing light to penetrate deeper into the plan.

A concrete terrazzo reflecting surface flows from the kitchen/dining area to the family room, creating new diagonal relationships between the expanded rooms.

Fixed furniture and a ceiling made of stained oak panels achieve the same flexibility as the exterior brickwork—designed to navigate corners with flat surfaces and periodic deep niches.

–A2 Architects