Foxrock Avenue

Opening Up: Crafting Seamless Flow
from Front to Rear on a Sloping Site
at Foxrock Avenue

Located on a cul-de-sac in Foxrock Avenue, Deansgrange, this semi-detached two storey house sits on a steeply sloping site, with ground levels dropping sharply from the front to the rear of the property.

A later addition—a single‑storey, pitched‑roof extension at the rear—connects to the dining area and currently serves as a lounge.

Originally, the only rear access was through the utility room, down two steps to a raised deck, then down further steps again to the garden. This arrangement isolated the kitchen, living, and dining spaces from the patio and garden. Small, high‐level windows further limited light and views, leaving the rear interior dimly lit.

The key challenge therefore became to forge a stronger connection between the rear living areas and the garden.

This was addressed by cutting a new opening in the lounge wall for a sliding door to the patio. As the existing floor sat above the patio level, the internal floor needed to be lowered at this point. This was achieved by introducing two new steps into the hallway and a further two between the kitchen and lounge area. This new sunken lounge, incorporated into the existing footprint, seamlessly integrates with the paved patio. A stepped‑down flat roof minimizes the extension’s impact on the neighboring property.

To reinforce visual and physical links, the lounge and dining‐room window were both enlarged with the dining room window lowered to form a built-in bench, opening up a clear sightline from the entrance hall to the garden and flooding the rear living spaces with natural light.

Upstairs, a first‑floor extension was added above the original single‑storey wing to the side, creating two new bedrooms. This allowed the expansion of the current master bedroom into an adjacent existing bedroom to allow for a walk-in wardrobe and master ensuite. The landing area that connected these rooms was opened up by removing part of the gable wall while velux windows inserted above created a light filled circulation space.

Project Information

Location: Foxrock Avenue, Deansgrange, Dublin 18, Co. Dublin

Photography: Andrew Campion