The brief was to create a flexible space for outdoor living that was ancillary to the main house - in essence to provide a retreat for the 21st century suitable for family life. The garden has a hillside setting with significant slope which means that the current connection between house and garden would not be improved by simply adding an extension to the rear of the house, nor would an extension harness the beautiful panoramic views over the Edinburgh skyline and Firth of Forth beyond. Thus, a simple bespoke detached new build pavilion located at the highest area of the garden addresses the client brief and responds to the site context. Designed to comply with permitted development negating the requirement for planning permission.

An integrated approach to sustainability has been key to the design. Proprietary easy founds minimised the need for large excavations and by reducing the amount of concrete seeks to reduce the carbon footprint; construction timescales, cost and addresses site accessibility. The structure, cladding, external decking and internal flooring are sustainably sourced certified timber. A sedum (green living) roof reduces rainwater run-off and provides habitat for bee and insect life. Natural insulation to floor, walls and roof provides an enhanced thermal performance whilst a bio ethanol stove which produces no CO2 emissions has been specified for heating when required during the winter.

Now completed on site the pavilion nestles beautifully into the hillside setting with untreated Scottish larch starting to “weather in”.

Giving an extra highly insulated additional room, the pavilion is used by the family throughout the year for social gatherings, contemplative retreat, studio and office space.

A few completed photographs and inital design images are shown below.