61 Dhu Varren, Portrush, Co. Antrim, BT56 8LN

A dramatic example of mid-twentieth century modernist house design, 61 Dhu Varren exemplifies the key themes of the period: truth to materials, form follows function, expressive structure, and flat linear forms. Built in 1958-59 by architect Noel Campbell and originally known as the Rainey House, it remains largely unaltered and retains its integral setting as an essential part of the design.

The building is positioned at the top of a rise overlooking the sea and the coast road at the western edge of Portrush. It has an L-shaped plan with the top of the L cantilevering out 4 metres towards the view, while the base drops into the back of the hill to form a two-storey entrance block. The structure employs a concrete frame exposed on the main north and east sides (the inside of the L), infilled with timber panelling or glass. It appears to rest on massive sandstone retaining works, which also enclose a raised garden and form the eastern gable of the building.

The south elevation serves as the formal entrance. The eastern end features a 150 millimetre-deep sandstone gable projection, alongside a horizontal timber-sheeted garage door. Adjacent, a small concrete column separates the entrance door with larger side window, both in timber and glazed with a single central rail. These elements are surrounded by a small projecting concrete canopy, currently painted mustard. At first floor level above, vertical timber sheeting aligns with the garage, while a large window aligns with the entrance door and sidelight. Clerestory windows run the length of this group, with mullions closer together above the garage. To the west, the elevation is smooth plastered and painted white. Concrete steps with a simple metal rail lead upwards; along this western section at first floor, a long row of windows drops from the roof at the same depth as the clerestory, lighting the kitchen behind. At the top of the steps, a small 2-metre projection houses a timber-sheeted exit door from the kitchen, with a sandstone rubble end wall facing south without any openings. Unlike the east gable, the flat roof with a 350-millimetre-deep timber fascia projects over this wall.

The west elevation is single storey and mainly plastered, with low-key timber-framed windows lighting bedrooms along the southern end. As the ground falls away towards the sea and the building becomes cantilevered, the concrete frame is exposed at the base of the floor, with the deep white fascia providing a matching horizontal line at the top. Between these, the building is clad in vertical timber sheeting. Before the cantilever begins, a full-height window projects at an angle away from the building towards the north-west view, with a concrete base, fascia, and timber sides. The cantilever is expressed by two large concrete "angel brackets", equally spaced under the width of the projecting room and tapering along their length. The brackets project into the ground as well as extending 4 metres under the room. The ground is cut back and clad in sandstone to approximately one metre height, with the top of the retaining wall aligning with the surrounding grass. The room above projects a further metre. On the seaward elevation, the full width and height of the room is glazed (three windows wide with a thin horizontal rail at balustrade height).

To the east, the side of the cantilever room is clad in vertical timber boarding. A vertical concrete column separates this treatment from two bays of glazing moving towards the corner of the L. This glazing is divided into three panes at clerestory level over each large bay of glass. The clerestory here is narrower, with 200-millimetre-deep vertical timber boarding separating the glass from the fascia above. At the corner of the L on this eastern elevation sits an abstract composition in colourful tiles, located between the concrete base and fascia, overlooking a linear pond running down part of the north façade. The pond is currently empty.

On the north façade, the concrete frame returns with glazing overlooking the pond. The clerestory in this section is completely sheeted in vertical timber. At the eastern end, the building projects 2 metres towards the view, enclosing the eastern end of the pond and clad in stone, which forms a base across a large glazed window facing north for the full width of the remaining façade as the ground drops away. This window stretches from floor to ceiling, clad in vertical timber boarding to balustrade level. On the eastern gable, the wall is clad in stone with the wall angling back at first floor to reveal the side of the window described above. At ground level, three square concrete-lined windows are punched through to the garage. A low chimney tops the gable with a Victorian pot.

Campbell was County Londonderry Education Architect at the time and designed several modernist houses during this period, of which this is the most dramatic. Others include the Smith House on Strand Road, Port Stewart (1958), and the Lee House or Scandia at Brocklamont Park, Ballymena (1959-60). The palette of materials used here appears in many of Campbell's school designs, particularly Faughan Valley High School in Drumahoe near Londonderry (1955-59).