Stance Cottage Extension,
Bridge of Orchy, Argyll, northwest Scotland
2008
Architect: Dualchas Building Design
Client: Susan Barnwell
Engineer: M.S.Consulting Engineers
Contractor: K2S
Cost: Affordable – under £80,000
Ground floor – Living, Dining, Kitchen, Bathroom and lobby.
Stance cottage is situated on the old drovers route from Fort William
to the south. The drovers would stop in Bridge of Orchy and pay to ‘stance’
their cattle/sheep in the stance below the cottage.
Over the last 150 years a shed or barn has continuously stood beside the
cottage. These have been demolished and re constructed several times since
the cottage was built, and each have been used for many different functions,
including the storage of hay and live stock. In recent years it’s
been used as a store by the roads department, home to a classic car enthusiast
and a training space for a local boxer. The existing shed was not only
beautiful but contained an interesting narrative about the history of
the site.
It was decided that the story and tradition of the shed should continue
to evolve. The new extension would be designed within the existing footprint
of the shed, and emulate its size and proportions, however this time it’s
use was to be a contemporary extension to the cottage.
The extension consisted of a horizontal clad connection - which contains
the lobby, bathroom and kitchen – and the main shed form containing
an open plan dining and living space - open to the apex - with a corner
window over looking the River Orchy. Large glazed sliders open the living
spaces up to the north, towards Glencoe and a Lone Rowan tree grows through
the larch deck - kept due to the client’s superstitions.
The extension is timber frame construction, clad in both horizontal and
vertical Scottish Larch, which was oiled black. The main extension is
roofed in corrugated black steel, with the connecting flat roof being
in alwitra – both in keeping with the original shed. The west gable
of the extension is wrapped in a dry stonewall, which continues into the
garden.
Bridge of Orchy house info + photos from Dualchas Building Design 21 Oct 2008
Architecture Grand Prix winner - Roses Awards 2008
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Bridge of Orchy house - page : adrian
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