The proposal sought to echo the original steading by forming a new courtyard providing shelter to the exposed site.

‘Ceangal House’ forms an ‘L’ shape to the south and west whilst the studio inhabits the north east corner of the site.

The house is characterised by its three pitched gables increasing in volume from east to west. Internally these volumes accommodate; lobby, kitchen, dining, living room and reading room, with a guest bedroom contained in the first floor of the largest gable. The north / south wing contains the children’s bedrooms leading to the parents bedroom at the northern most part of the house.

A key principal of the design was to ensure both physical and visual connections to the surrounding landscape. All ground level accommodation connects directly into the private courtyard by way of sliding or french doors. To the south, large areas of triple glazing allow the house to experience the changing seasons of the site, whilst providing protection from the weather in all seasons.

Fundamental to our thinking was the reuse of materials which became available from the demolition of the existing buildings. This reuse is demonstrated through the reclaimed sandstone cladding externally and the masonry floor internally. Over 4000 bricks were reclaimed by the client and these were laid in varying bonds internally and externally. They serve both an aesthetic purpose by providing the house with a unique identity rooted in place, and provide an environmental use through thermal mass internally.

Externally, sinusoidal cladding (coloured red) references the agricultural context of the site and surrounding buildings, whilst reinforcing the presence of the house in the wider landscape.

In relation to the Scot’s Gaelic origins of the site, the word ‘Ceangal’ is derived from Scot’s Gaelic meaning to ‘bond’. We believe this word is not only reflected in the fabric of the house, but also in it’s purpose to strengthen the bond between the family and the site.