The Bunachton project proposes an extension comprising a new living, dining, and utility area at ground floor level, along with two new bedrooms and a bathroom at first floor level.
The strategy for the extension is threefold: first, to be as respectful as possible of the existing building; secondly, to establish a recognisable entrance to the house, given that the existing primary entrance is at the 'back' of the building as approached from the road; and thirdly, to maximise views to the north-east from the new accommodation.
The form of the extension therefore takes its cue from the existing house—a reflection of the existing profile with an identical roof pitch springing from the datum of the existing eaves and rising to a ridge that is no higher than the existing.
In plan, the new accommodation ‘slides past’ the existing to reveal the south-west corner of the original house and create an opportunity for a sheltered entrance that is immediately recognisable from the approach.
The north gable of the extension is cut at an angle which, on one hand, orients the principal living spaces to the view—and in the case of the master bedroom, to the rising sun—and, on the other, maintains a view of the north gable of the original house from the road.
The west wall of the extension tapers from north to south in response to the area requirements of each space. At the north end, the living space and master bedroom above are necessarily larger than the utility space and secondary bedroom at the south end. As a consequence, the extension is perceived to be more slender than the original house as viewed on the approach to the entrance, which is considered appropriate hierarchically.
The resulting floor plan configuration achieves the desired sheltered entrance, provides the living area and master bedroom with the principal view, and enables a large opening at the west façade, which opens out onto a re-graded landscaped territory between the house and the steading, and provides afternoon and evening sunlight to the dining area. The resulting form echoes that of the original house in a manner that is considered respectful and deferential.
