Contemporary Conservation Architecture
The project involves the creation of a garden room to extend an existing sandstone villa in a conservation area. The existing house sits in a mature garden with the site sloping 1-2m from front to back so that there is a substantial level difference between the kitchen at the rear of the house and the adjacent garden. The brief for the conservation architecture at Newlands Road Glasgow was to design a room that would link the kitchen to the garden in a manner sympathetic to the existing house. The owners had initially had various conservatory designs prepared but were unhappy with the proposals and engaged us to take a more design-led approach.
The design accepts the level difference and creates a room at garden level, linked to the kitchen by a staircase that doubles as storage and the entrance to a small utility room below. A simple mono-pitch covers the garden room, replicating the pitch of the existing house roof and creating a double height space. A glass door allows views from the kitchen and roof lights at high level allow views over the garden and surrounding neighbourhood from the upper landing, the point of entry to the space from the kitchen.
An overhanging roof is introduced on the garden elevations to provide shade and shelter to the south facing elevation. This zinc clad roof also links the garden room to the utility room externally. A panel of sandstone is introduced adjacent to existing house, to visually link the garden room to the original house and provide a section of solid wall internally. The materials generally are traditional to link to the existing house but used in a contemporary manner.
