Our aim was to make the most of the beautiful setting by focusing each space on capturing different views of the surrounding landscape. Simplicity is key in the diagram of the building with the floorplan split into three wings, ‘live, work and sleep’. The living wing is open plan in design and focuses on the family’s daily life and entertaining guests, it incorporates the main entrance area which flows into the kitchen and onto the dining and living space with a large hearth and chimney as the central focal point and large expanses of glazing facing onto the gardens & views over the Moray Firth. The work wing is focused on the physio pool and gym surrounded by other ancillary spaces, whilst the ‘sleep wing’ comprises 5 bedrooms, a study, and an intimate snug sitting room.
The massing takes cognisance of the local vernacular of farm building clusters of pitched roof blocks set at perpendicular angles to one another and a contemporary flat roof section bridging the space between the various blocks. A traditional palette of local materials comprising stone, slate, zinc, and render further breaks up the orthogonal arrangement and composition with a variety of texture and colour that sits comfortably in the natural landscape.
