Curvaceous, spacious and on the market for €895,000, this home defies convention

Designed in accordance with the principles of sacred architecture, this five-bed property at Glascloon in Offaly, is so different from standard houses that it almost defies description.

Symmetrical and vast, the 448 sq m timber and stone clad residence has a multitude of curved walls, a variety of angles and window shapes, a V -shaped upper floor balcony and very few rectangular or regular shaped spaces.

 Michael Rice, the bio-architect who designed it in the mid 2000 applied the golden ratio ( which is found in nature and used by ancient Greek architects) to achieve balance and harmony.

“This is a totally amazing house - the curved walls are designed to allow good energy flow and have a calming effect,’’ says builder/developer Jamie Moloney who spent eight months carrying out renovations after his business partner John Lyons bought the property at auction for €320,000 in April last year. Never fully completed, it had been empty for several years and was suffering from neglect when they came across it and saw an opportunity to rescue it. Now updated, refurbished and somewhat modernised it’s back on the market with a guide of €895,000.

“We refurbished bathrooms, restored the timber floors and windows, replaced the timber cladding and the balcony and also repaired the roof which needed a lot of work,’’ reveals Mr Malone adding they also updated the colour scheme and brought in a company to tend the overgrown site.

“ To repair the underfloor geothermal heating we imported parts from Germany and we spent €12,000 on a custom made set of double doors for the front entrance,” he says, explaining that the house also required internal doors since it didn’t have any when purchased last year. It seems that the artist who originally owned the property ran out of money during the final stages of completion.

Conscious of the need not to interfere with the integrity of original design, Mr Moloney consulted bio architect Michael Rice during the renovation process and also spoke to the original builders. “ The builders say that the original building cost was close to €1.6 million,’’ Mr Moloney who says it's a joy to see this amazing property come back to life.

Unusual not just because of its curvature and shape, the house also has an entirely unconventional layout with split level accommodation at ground level and several mezzanine areas accessed by ladder stairs on the upper one.

The double door at the front opens into a foyer with a domed ceiling overlooked by a galleried landing with timber clad railing. 

At one side of the entrance there’s a long sitting room and, at the other, a tiled kitchen /diner which still has its original curved cream units.

Steps at the rear lead down to a lower level which has a bathroom with a jacuzzi style bath, a utility space and a room which could be a home office or a gym.

A curved staircase in the foyer leads to the upper floor and a large timber floored bedroom which has small ladder stairs leading up to a walk-in wardrobe as well as a small staircase leading down to an en suite with a curved wall. 

Offering countryside views through a double height window and access to a decked balcony though a patio door, this room was originally designed as the artist’s studio.

The other four bedrooms on this level include two with en suites and one which has a curved ceiling and a mezzanine level accessed by a ladder stairs.

Built on a site over three and a half acres, the property has a detached stone and timber clad garage, some decking and a patio.

Situated at Coolderry, close to the border with Tipperary, the house is five km from Roscrea and almost 17 km from Birr.

Selling agent Eoin Dillon of REA Dillon thinks it unlikely that it will be bought by a local buyer and believes the highly spacious and unconventional property is more likely to attract a buyer from Dublin or a returning emigrant. “ Someone who appreciates its uniqueness and space."

Needing further work to make it into a home, it qualities for the Vacant property refurbishment grant.

VERDICT.: Curved, spacious and almost indescribably different.