18/08/2026
The most important decision about the south-facing glazing at Tirzah House was where not to use it.
I’ve hardly posted properly here for five months. Not because there’s been nothing to share—quite the opposite.
Between client work, family life and building our own home, most days I’ve only managed the odd story. Meanwhile, my camera roll has filled up with the decisions, changes, mistakes and moments that have brought Tirzah House this far.
Now that we’re drawing towards the end, I want to share it properly—not just the finished photographs, but the thinking behind the house and what building for ourselves has taught me after years of designing homes for other people.
Starting with the view.
The journey through Tirzah House was designed to reveal the landscape gradually, leading to the best framed view in the family living room just off the kitchen—looking directly towards Slieve Gullion. (That will be a big reveal even for us as the window is still covered in protective film!)
It would have been easy to use glass everywhere, but the best view becomes more powerful when it isn’t repeated from every room. On this south-facing elevation, too much unprotected glazing could also cause serious overheating. The deep canopies we designed help manage solar gain, shading the higher summer sun while allowing more of the lower winter light into the house.
There’s a fairly ridiculous amount still unseen in my photo library, so this is the beginning of sharing more—the inspiration, difficult decisions, what worked, what didn’t and what I’d now advise anyone building their own home.
Is there a part of the design or build you’d like me to share more about next?
| Designing our own home.
