Each site visit was hosted by a property owner who was undertaking their own project, and was followed by time and space to chat and share experiences, tips, woes and knowledge. This project is aimed primarily at owner-occupiers and those who are supporting them, by providing opportunities for learning, exchange and community building.
Valuable architectural heritage around Ireland is being given new life through this non-traditional approach to housing. For many this is due to a passion for a particular type of architecture, a chance to live in a particular location or to have a particular lifestyle. What makes these often complex projects succeed, is a capacity to manage this process and access to specialist knowledge. Strong social-capital and peer-networks are extremely valuable – simply meeting and connecting with those who have worked on similar properties in their own region can unlock huge resources. This project builds these connections – with expertise, with support infrastructures, and most importantly, with others sharing their journey.
During this programme, we asked owners about their reasons for buying and renovating vacant properties.
Lifestyle: Many of the owners want the lifestyle an older property could provide. This could be a longer garden in a town centre property, or access to city and town centre offerings such as car-sharing, social outlets and an established sense of community.
Location: Renovating a vacant property allows a resident to locate in their preferred location. The location may support their lifestyle and work life, but may also maintain connections with family and allow them to stay in their community. Having a “convenient” location also meant children could pair independence with providing a space for their friends to drop in.
Lack of alternatives: There simply were no alternatives to buying an older property in some cases, due to a housing shortage. This was more evident in certain locations. Some people were also uninterested in the type of new properties being built, and would find it very difficult to get planning permission for a new build on a comparable site.
Opportunity: There was an element of spontaneity regarding some of the purchases – a property came available that they fell in love with. In some cases, they were buying from family or taking on a family property.
Love of architecture: The opportunity to own a piece of history or add to the architecture of their local area was a large appeal to many of the attendees. This fed into the decisions they made in renovating or restoring properties, and the time and consideration they put into each decision. Many attendees had become very knowledgeable about their housing typology.
Civic contribution/Being part of history: They were interested in the heritage of the buildings, and saw themselves as guardians for the next phase of this building’s life. For those within towns and cities, they could see their home within the broader urban set piece, and their duty towards the community.
Sustainability: Many attendees were interested in sustainability as a reason for taking on a vacant property. There was an interest in sustainable materials, reducing energy usage, and circular economy. For some, there was a clear concern for the environmental impact of new construction.
Mentality: Most of the attendees seemed open to novel approaches and learning new skills. There was an openness to risk and challenges, which they acknowledged would be off-putting for many home buyers.
Commercial to Residential Conversion
Living Above the Shop/18th Century Stone Building
City Centre Living in a Georgian Building
With thanks to hosts
Nick Taaffe
Caelan Bristow and Nick Ward
Samira Kaissi and Frank Quilty
Rachel Gaffney and Anthony Gaffney
