Location: Portobello, Scotland

Construction Value: Not Disclosed

Client: Private Client

The brief for this project was to redevelop a collection of four disused garages located on a side street off a suburban area within Portobello.

The proposals consist of two semi-detached mews style units each with their own private rear garden. Each unit consists of an open floor living/dining/kitchen space at ground floor level and three bedrooms at the upper floor including a master ensuite. The rooms at first floor level are lit by high conservation rooflights in order to provide natural light to the spaces but prevent any overlooking of neighbouring properties. The proposals are 1.5 storey with a simple yet contemporary pitched roof to tie in with the existing cottage building adjacent to the site.

The proposed design maintains and extends the existing stone wall at ground floor level which then forms as a contemporary plinth for the lightweight timber pitched roof structure to be built off. The stone wall has been punctured a number of times to form sheltered entrances to the two units, high-level windows to the kitchens and gates to the rear gardens.

The main structure which is set back from the stone wall will be clad in vertical timber battens and a series of corten steel planters are incorporated into the front façade of the building to introduce greenery. The zinc roof has been carefully considered to ties in with the surrounding context of pitched slate roofs. Two aluminium clad dormers have been carefully positioned in the master bedrooms such that they do not directly face any neighbouring buildings. A feature window at first floor level on the South gable has also been incorporate to frame the key view to the existing dense woodlands to the South of the site.

The proposals were submitted for a full planning application in Spring 2022.

New-build / Residential

Appointment: Up to Planning Service (Stages 0-3)

Current Stage: 3

Briefing / Concept Design / Planning