Strathaven Villa

This property is the second residence we were commissioned to design for our Client who owns a large estate and country house in Lanarkshire, near Glasgow. The site is green field with a plot size of approximatley 1.5 Acres. It has extensive views to the south across the open farmland. On the edge of this road are a number of mature beech tree’s that provide shelter from the southwest winds. Our brief was to design a large family residence with the potential for hosting large dinner parties of up to 50 people. Our client was reluctant to pursue a contemporary design for the site and was more comfortable with traditional building forms. Our design approach for the house was influenced by the 19-century villa designs by Alexander Thompson. We were pursuing the idea of scale, mass and proportion within the constraints of a traditional and vernacular aesthetic.

Strathaven Villa

The elevations have a horizontal emphasis, with groupings of vertical proportioned windows. These window frames and screens are recessed behind the stone mullions to create a depth and layer to the external walls. The low pitch and large overhanging roofs help to offer a visual top weighting to the large property. The plan form is open and free flowing between the formal and public rooms, all the orientation is centred on the grand entrance lobby. There is a clear separation between public and private, family spaces. The east wing of the plan is more private with a kitchen, dining space and a snug. A family staircase is an alternative to using the grand spiral stair in the entrance lobby. This stair doglegs around the library on the first floor. The external materials will be traditional, dressed natural Scottish stone with area’s of Harling render, timber windows and Scottish slate.

Strathaven Mill

Credits

Private House.
Lanarkshire, Scotland.
2008-2009

Client: Private
Gross floor Area: 600m²
Architect: Guido MacLellan
Structural Engineer: N/A
Contractor: N/A
CGI: DW Design