Design Guide for Rural Northern Ireland
Scheme Design: Development Pattern

A major aspect of designing a rural house is the development pattern, which is fundamental to the integration of the finished scheme in the landscape. This should reflect the character of the locality, and it is important to distinguish between rural character and suburban character. The rural pattern is one of buildings surrounded by land, with the buildings always subservient to the landscape, whereas the suburban pattern is of buildings occupying strips of land, having front and backgardens, with buildings forming the dominant image.

One of the most destructive design mistakes in recent times has been the attempt to implant the suburban model in the rural scene. This is a basic mis-match and must be avoided.

There is also the opportunity to consider orientation and shelter as a means of making the dwelling more energy efficent. This can be further developed and refined in the layout of the building itself, its detailed design and its construction.