A carefully crafted yet functional rural dwelling by Loader Monteith forms a strong connection to its South Lanarkshire site.
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Dapple Photography
Designed by Loader Monteith, Equine House is a 155-square-metre dwelling located on subdivided dairy farm in South Lanarkshire. The clients initially moved into a static caravan on the site to establish their horse livery business, before obtaining planning permission for a 360-square-metre new-build house. They approached Loader Monteith in 2018 to rethink the previously approved plans, and create a practical, social, family base for the day-to-day running of their business.
The architect’s first move was to reduce the overall footprint of the house and design a highly usable, compact floor plan set over two storeys. Comprising four bedrooms, a snug, an open-plan kitchen/living space and a covered outdoor area, the new layout is intended to maximise views over the 10-hectare farm, with large windows along the east elevation providing uninterrupted views across the South Lanarkshire valley.
The open-plan kitchen/living space is visually connected to the landscape via a large triple-glazed window seat, set slightly out of the floor plan and defined by a red aluminium frame externally. This detail incorporates sloping chamfered edges to allow more natural light in and create improved skyward views. The frame is wraps around the south eastern corner of the building, creating a satisfyingly ‘cubic’ façade.
The second floor accommodates bedrooms, a family bathroom, and a covered patio, which is oriented east to maximise the morning sun. Environmental responsibility is central to the project and reflects the architect’s ethos, which is to build only what is needed and to do it as sustainably and beautifully as possible.
The project includes a range of passive and active environmental technologies, including an air source heat pump, high levels of insulation, triple-glazing, and underfloor heating. Sustainably sourced black larch cladding and white render are employed externally, along with a recycled aluminium roof.
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Source: Architecture Today