Pasparakis Friel adds timber portico and garden room to Drumhalla House

Pasparakis Friel Architects has completed a 140 sq m extension and refurbishment of Drumhalla House in County Donegal, Ireland, a venue originally opened in 1990. The project includes a new timber post and beam colonnade along the garden façade, a portico leading to a grand reception area, and a garden room for receptions and weddings. The architects created a clear distinction between old and new, using a color and material strategy that contrasts light tones for daytime spaces with richer, deeper hues for evening areas. First-floor bedrooms were redesigned with themes inspired by the Donegal landscape: Highlands, Coast, and Sky. The studio, based in Rathmullan, aimed to strengthen the connection between the historic house, its grounds, and the surrounding landscape.