Halcam Court, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

A protected structure, Halcam Court is located in Ballsbridge, one of the most prestigious areas of Dublin. Halcam Court was constructed as a private house in 1843. It remained so until 1951 when it was used by the Order of St. John (Order of Malta).

In 1967 the then owners received a grant of Planning Permission to convert the house to apartments. In 2004 the owner approached Deaton Lysaght Architects to completely redevelop the house as an upgraded apartment complex. The premises consisting of a house of four storeys over basement with a six-storey extension to the rear and a mews building in the rear garden. The original rooms had been significantly altered by the insertion of mezzanines and other sub-divisions. A considerable amount of the original fabric and many of the original features such as the staircase and fireplaces had been lost. Internal works included the layout changes to eliminate the inadequacy of the provision of kitchens, bathrooms and storage. Where feasible the original features were restored and rooms were brought back to their original volumes, making spaces more accommodating. External works included the repairs to the elevations of the building with brickwork being cleaned and re-pointed where necessary. The stonework received the same care and attention. A detailed conservation report was made to state the methods for this work. Ramp and levelled access to the side of the building were provided to improve on the accessibility of the building. The existing lift was renovated, allowing access to the upper floors. The apartments to the rear were provided with windows and balconies facing south. The new balconies were equipped with screens to avoid any overlooking of adjoining properties. The existing Mews which were in very poor condition were extended to provide for new housing. What was left from the original fabric of these building was conserved. An independent vehicular access from Raglan Road and Pembroke Lane together with enclosed courtyards was created. The site has been comprehensively landscaped and paved throughout. To the rear the open space has been enlarged by removal of existing car parking spaces and the extension of a planted courtyard area. The parking area to the front was upgraded with a total of 21 car parking spaces provided and an addition of dedicated bicycle parking and bin storage. The original boundary coursed rubble granite walling and calp limestone inner wall were maintained. The existing overgrown planted bed received careful management and all of the mature significant trees were retained. The works were completed in 2008.