30 Mountain Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Irregular, Modern Style single-storey detached house, with separate garage, believed to have been constructed c.1963 to designs by Robert McKinstry. It is set within a well-wooded domestically scaled garden 1.5Km due north of the centre of Newtownards.

The front façade faces south-east, for ease of description this is referred to as east; orientations of all other facades are similarly ‘corrected’.

The footprint of the house is composed of two rectangles; the smaller, on the south side is set back; it houses the lounge. The larger, on the north, advances forward; it houses all other accommodation. The detached garage sits on the south side of the driveway adjacent to the front entrance; the space between the house and garage is formed into a paved patio and is integrated into shallow steps that rise to the front door.

Each rectangle has a shallow pitch that rises to the centre; the resultant south gable houses the main entrance.

Roofs have a shallow, perhaps 10 degree, pitch and are felted. A single rendered chimneystack rises through the middle of the ridge. Rainwater goods are uPVC. Walls are roughcast; gables are topped with fine concrete copings while other walls have deep timber eaves fascias. At the south west corner underlying bedrock breaks through the ground; walls rise directly off this.

Composed of openings of varying sizes, fenestration is quite irregular. Window and door openings are all flat-headed; sills are formed with fine, dark grey, ceramic tiles. Window openings are mainly vertical in proportion, although some high-level, privacy windows, such as those to the bathroom and some to bedrooms, are horizontal in proportion. The French window opening to the patio, rises full height; the paired doors are glazed and are surmounted by a timbered panel. Openings to the gables are topped with exposed concrete lintels with board marked finish; other openings are have concealed lintels and have plain rendered heads.

Window frames and doors are formed in stained timber.

Historical information

Believed to have been constructed c.1963 to designs by Robert McKinstry. Infornmation supplied by the owners family.

References- Primary sources

01 PRONI VAL4B/3/29 Second General Revaluation of Northern Ireland, Donaghadee Urban ED, 1956-7B
Secondary Sources:
01 Owner's family

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship

Evaluation

An unusual modernist design that combines elements of vernacular and Modern design. The interior and the original forested setting is well preserved and have been influenced by Alvar Alto's work. Though composed of cellular rooms it has an open-plan 'feel', where one can progress around the dwelling in one direction and arrive back at the starting point with a minimum of circulation space. This small scale dwelling is a good example of a small dwelling that retains all of its original design features and so is a rare survivor from this period.