A chance meeting in the street between Architect Dougie Boa of Hearth Architects and the homeowner results in an incredible change to Transform the Clients Victorian home in Stirling without the need to sacrifice the small garden to gain additional floor space.
When Dougie met Fiona one afternoon, while out on a lunchtime walk, in Stirling, he was blown away by the opportunity her old Conservatory from the 1990s offered. Fiona’s home sits on a small site in an elevated position nestled under Castle Hill of Stirling with views across the trees and rooftops of the Kings Park Conservation Area.
Dougie took immediate inspiration from the elevated position and abundance of mature trees surrounding the site. The aim of the project was to stretch the boundary between inside and outside as far as possible creating a feeling where it could be tricky to tell whether you are inside or outside with oversized Douglas Fir glazing frames paying homage to the surrounding tree trunks.
The site was not without its challenges, The site is tight with a very small garden which the client was not prepared to sacrifice. The small site also posed difficulties for the contractor in finding space for skips, material deliveries and staff welfare provision. This combined with a strong push for reduction of construction waste and a focus on minimising embodied carbon in the construction meant this project was far from the typical house extension but The Contractor, John McLeod Principal Contractors more than rose to the occasion.
The original home is a Victorian era home with some slight arts and crafts flavours to its design. Built in the Kings Park blonde sandstone stone, won from the long extinct Culross quarry, the home had been extended in the 90’s with a hard wood conservatory that was approaching the end of its life.
Fiona explained to Dougie that she needed to get the conservatory replaced but didn’t want just another typical conservatory, she also uses the house for entertaining guests regularly and would love a nice space to host parties in that was still flexible enough for everyday life.
The solution was to remove the hardwood conservatory frame and offer it for free to any takers (It is now enjoying a second life as a greenhouse). The base, built in sandstone and concrete block was sound so this was retained and altered slightly to suit the new floor level and window arrangements. The wall between the kitchen and dining room was partially removed with all stone being salvaged for use elsewhere in the project. A new bespoke conservatory frame was crafted by John McLeod’s team using Douglas Fir and traditional craft skills. Meanwhile the kitchen was given a full retrofit of insulation and underfloor heating to greatly improve energy efficiency and provide real savings on the clients energy bills. The peak of the contractors skill came in the provision of the built in furniture, particularly the truly unique “magic” table which extend to two separate lengths seating between two and 5 people or disappearing entirely when not in use.
Like all projects Hearth Architects design, this project really emphasises the flow between inside and outside and plays with the experience of crossing the threshold into the clients home, stretching what usually happens within the width of a wall out to over 3 metres. The internal alterations to the home now mean that there is not a singe point on the ground floor from which you cannot see outside. The view from the front door reaches all the way through the house to the distant horizon.
The clever design work and structural gymnastics have totally transformed the ground floor of the property while only affecting the rear. The Client was able to remain at home through the duration of the works, only losing the kitchen for a few days thanks to expert project management by The Contractor. What was once a relatively dark kitchen and separate conservatory that was only usable in spring and autumn is now a space that can be enjoyed year round, flooded with natural light, seemingly nestled in the canopies of the surrounding trees.
