Residential Projects Archives | AGL Architect

Turning an upside-down house the right way up

Douglas Walker — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 09:40:41 +0000

Turning an upside-down house the right way up

As a couple who like to socialise and entertain, the original layout of our client’s house in Dunfermline didn’t suit their lifestyle. It had an unusual configuration, with the bedrooms located on the ground floor and all the public rooms situated on the first floor.

They asked us to create a new design for their house that gave the family the social space they needed. Our plan literally had to turn their upside-down house the right way up.

Our design moved the public rooms downstairs and the bedrooms to the more conventional setting of the first floor. To provide maximum flexibility, the design included a new, open-plan kitchen diner on the ground floor leading on to a bright, modern, single-storey garden room extension. Bi-fold doors in the garden room opening out directly into the garden completed the transformation of the downstairs space.

The ground floor of the house is now the perfect place to relax, entertain guests or unwind on a lovely summers evening. With their house now the right way up, our clients have the space to suit their sociable lifestyle.

Location: Dunfermline, Fife

Brief: Design alterations to create an open plan downstairs living space connecting out into the garden

Year: 2018

Project duration: 5 months

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A double-decker extension to a traditional family home

Douglas Walker — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 09:20:00 +0000

A double-decker extension to a traditional family home

Transforming a small two-bedroom, bungalow suburban house into a spacious family home required imagination and some bold decisions.

Our ambitious design proposed large alterations, with the addition of an entirely new first floor as well as the creation of a single-storey extension at the back of the house.

With the whole building altered by our plans, the project had to be tackled a section at a time. We agreed with the contactor that work should start with the construction of the rear extension. The original bungalow roof was removed in sections, allowing the construction of the new additional floor to take place. Finally, with the extension and additional floor ready, the new roof was added to the existing and extension wall heads.

The transformation of the original bungalow was completed in just four months and the house is almost unrecognisable today. It’s now a stunning three-bedroom house that provides a large, versatile, open-plan contemporary living space for the entire family.

Location: Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire

Building type: one-and-a-half-storey house

Brief: to create more living space for the family and an extra bedroom

Special Feature: removal of the old roof space to create a new first floor and attic roof

Year: 2016

Project duration: 5 months

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Bringing light into a single-storey extension

Douglas Walker — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 09:10:10 +0000

Bringing light into a single-storey extension

Updating an older extension can be a great opportunity to modernise and maximise the space you already have. This was the case when we created a design for a 1970’s semi-detached house in Alva, near Stirling.

An existing flat-roofed extension to the rear of the house contained a separate kitchen and dining room. But the interior space was dark and failed to make the most of spectacular views over the Ochil Hills.

After consulting with the client, we created an open-plan design that maximised natural light and created the perfect frame to enjoy the views. A new bay window extension included a large bi-fold door opening out onto the back garden. Two new windows were added to the original extension and beautiful clerestory glazing was introduced along the roof to enable light to flood through the entire open-plan area.

With a stylish new kitchen-dining area together with a relaxed seating area, the extension now fits the lifestyle of modern family living.

Location: Alva, Central Scotland

Building type: 1970’s semi-detached house

Brief: to create a light, open-plan kitchen-diner that maximises stunning views

Special Feature: clerestory glazing

Year: 2014

Project duration: 3 months

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Creating a happy island retirement at Glengorm

Douglas Walker — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 09:00:33 +0000

Creating a happy island retirement at Glengorm

Sitting on the brow of a steep hill in the grounds of Glengorm Castle, the owners of a remote building plot approached us with a simple brief.

As a newly retired couple, they wanted a house that was easy to maintain and that made the most of the incredible views facing west to the islands of Coll and Tiree. But they also wanted something that looked a little bit different without standing out too much against the beautiful landscape.

We created a design that made the most of the spectacular location and met the lifestyle needs of the couple. We recommended a one-and-a-half-storey house using a Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) prefabricated building system. A SIP building is affordable, quick to install and well insulated. We incorporated a curved roof into the design to reduce the ridge height of the building and to reduce its visual impact on the hilltop. The curved roof also provided the unique feature that the owners were looking for.

Our innovative design won ‘Best Build Outwith the Chapter’ category at the RIAS Stirling Society of Architects Annual Awards in 2016.

Location: Glengorm, Isle of Mull

Building type: New build Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) kit house

Brief: Design a simple, easy to maintain private house to make the most of stunning views

Special Feature: Award-winning design including a unique curved roof and beautiful timber cladding

Year: 2013

Project duration: 1.5 years

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