To support the owners of older residences, including historic houses and protected structures, the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI), with funding from the Department of Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht and Creative Ireland, has published a free online guide to conservation and renovation, Old House New Home.

The innovative e-publication, offering free guidance and advice on repairing and reusing historic buildings, explains how to understand your home, conserve period features and reimagine it for contemporary living, while maintaining the character and craftsmanship that come with historic properties. The guide includes a wealth of case study projects representing different sizes, conditions, characteristics and locations – from homes in urban and suburban settings to the adaptation of farmhouse complex, their yards and outbuildings.

It also includes video footage telling the remarkable stories of five different built heritage scenarios– two urban residences above shops, a Cow House within a farmyard, a subdivided Georgian Town House and an Officers’ Mess that was the focus of a former military complex. These projects are of different scales, settings and complexities, but all have been reimagined for 21st century living, whilst retaining their unique architectural character. The success of many of these case studies is not just in the design of new works but also in the repair and conservation of historic fabric and retention of character.

Old House New Home includes a wealth of case study projects by RIAI Registered Architects, from beautifully restored homes in urban and suburban settings, including examples of ‘living above the shop’, to the adaptation of farmhouses, outbuildings, schools and military buildings. Also featured is the winner of RTÉ’s Home of the Year, the conversion of a former carriage house and stable to a contemporary residence by MVK Architects. 

Old House New Home online publication is available for free download on the RIAI website. Click here to download.