Dublin, Portobello, Ireland

DNG are delighted to present this truly exceptional two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment, extending to approximately 115sq.m., situated in the highly distinctive and award-winning Daintree Building on Pleasants Place in the heart of Portobello.

From the moment you enter, it is clear that this is an apartment with a difference. Originally designed as an architect's office, No. 8 was subsequently converted to residential use, creating an unusually generous and characterful home that feels more akin to a contemporary city house than a conventional apartment. The scale, volume and architectural detailing are immediately apparent, with a particularly impressive open-plan living space forming the centrepiece of the property.

The accommodation comprises a welcoming entrance hall, an exceptionally spacious open-plan kitchen, living and dining room, two well-proportioned double bedrooms and two bathrooms. The principal living area is particularly impressive, featuring beautiful exposed timber roof beams, striking structural steelwork, extensive bespoke book shelving and warm timber flooring. Large windows draw natural light into the room while creating a wonderful connection with the surrounding urban architecture.

The kitchen is finished in a classic white style and integrates seamlessly with the main living and dining area, making this a superb space for everyday living. The proportions of the room are a defining feature of the property and are something rarely encountered in a city-centre apartment.

Both bedrooms are generously proportioned, with the principal bedroom enjoying an ensuite, while the second bathroom serves the remainder of the accommodation. The photographs also showcase the apartment's distinctive use of timber, exposed structural elements and carefully considered architectural details throughout.

A further feature is the private outdoor terrace, accessed from the hallway, providing a rare and valuable outdoor space within such a central Dublin location.

What makes No. 8 particularly special is its setting within The Daintree Building, one of Dublin's most distinctive sustainable architectural projects.

Designed by Solearth Architecture and completed in 2005, the Daintree was conceived as an “oasis in the city”, bringing together residential, commercial and community uses within a compact urban site just off Camden Street. The architects deliberately designed each apartment individually rather than creating a repetitive series of standardised units, with the homes intended to feel more like houses than apartments.

The building was innovative for its time, incorporating a multi-storey timber-frame structure, green roofs, breathable timber walls, sheep's-wool and cellulose insulation, solar thermal panels, a geothermal heat pump and rainwater reuse. Sustainable and reclaimed materials were also central to the design, including salvaged pitch pine flooring and bamboo elements.

Its environmental credentials were formally recognised when the Daintree won the Building Design Award at the 2005 Sustainable Energy Awards, while the project was subsequently selected for exhibition at the RIAI Architecture Awards 2006.

The development's landscaped courtyard and celebrated Cake Café add further to its sense of community and individuality. The café occupies part of the original mixed-use concept of the building and remains located within the Daintree today.

Interestingly, contemporary coverage of No. 8 confirms its history as an architect's office before its conversion to residential use, with the apartment originally measuring approximately 109 sq.m. This history helps explain the unusually generous proportions and commercial/industrial architectural detailing evident throughout the property.

The location is equally impressive. Pleasants Place is tucked just off Camden Street, offering a remarkably peaceful...