Nestled in the affluent bosom of south Dublin suburbia and almost unnoticed by passers-by is a little chunk of prosaic modernism, the kind that might send a tear of pride welling up in the eyes of le Corbusier or Mies van der Rohe.

And as often happens with concrete, glass, wood and stainless-steel boxes, somebody has given it an award. In architecture land, it’s always hip to be square.

The results of the Architectural Association of Ireland’s annual awards scheme have just been announced and, surprise surprise, the Square House was among seven main award winners.

The photographic evidence is overwhelming. This compact home, designed by Valerie Mulvin of McCullough Mulvin, has everything that causes architects to salivate over their drawing boards. Clean, straight, austere lines and lots of expensive-looking materials — exactly what those who give out medals for building design want to see.

But it would be churlish to begrudge the house its day in the sun on the basis that it was predictable award fodder.

The Mexican architect Luis Barragan argued that: “Any work of architecture that does not express serenity is a mistake.” On the basis of these words, you could argue that Mulvin has no need for her eraser. If nothing else, the building exudes an eerie atmosphere of calm.

Angela Brady, an architect who was on the judging panel, says: “I thought it was beautifully proportioned and had a sense of space, light and modernity, as well as a feeling of tranquility about it, although I didn’t really understand it when I first saw the drawings.”

Adjudicated from plans and photographic material, there were more than 150 entries, although the judges did not visit the sites. The list was whittled down to about 15, but even then, the judges didn’t get to see the buildings. Brady, for one, would have liked to: “That would be one of my criticisms. If you are giving out medals for buildings, it should be special and you should really go to visit them.

“There was a surprising number of private houses in the competition. Most were quite contemporary in style. As well as the winning Square House, I particularly liked the Three Interventions by Boyd Cody Architects.” That entry was a series of extensions to homes in Dublin.

The Square House is almost invisible from the street, nestled among high trees and shrubbery, and camouflaged by the colours of the materials used, if not the shapes.

It was built on the footprint of an old garage in the grounds of a large period house in south Co Dublin.

The site overlooks the sea, so the client wanted privacy but still wanted to be able to take advantage of the spectacular views.

The geometric square is divided into four further squares of equal proportion. Three of these are roofed and the fourth is open, creating a courtyard. This has a sliding screen of oak beams, providing a west-facing entrance space. One of the walls has an unglazed window looking out to the sea.

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