Bray Head Apartments

The former Bray Head Hotel (Protected Structure) is in a prominent location on strand road, Bray Co Wicklow and the existing hotel building and associated extensions have been unoccupied since July 2017 and have fallen into a serious state of disrepair. The brief for this project was to obtain for planning permission for the change of use from Hotel to 43 No. private apartments including both private and public open spaces located over a Bar/Restaurant including a Cafe while re-establishing the buildings importance in the area and to create a continuation of the existing main promenade that permeates through the site and serves to reactivate the area which has been underutilised for a number of years.

The setting of the historic building, boundary walls and entrance gates all contribute to the overall architectural and historic character of the area while the proposed 4 storey connection to the north west elevation of the existing hotel building has been achieved by way of glazed balconies which provide a clearly defined junction between old and new by using transparent materials which connect seamlessly into the existing facade. The proposed design of the “zinc box” penthouse extension which sits just behind the ridge level of the historic building has been carefully designed using materials which do not compete with those of the historic structure while still articulating a clear separation between the existing and proposed structures, resulting in a complimentary architectural approach which respects the special interest character, prominent vista and setting of the former Bray Head Hotel.

Contracting Authority: IDV Developments Ltd