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Architects: Kris Grant Architect
- Area: 56 m²
- Year: 2022
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Photographs:dapple photography
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Manufacturers: Atrium Scotland, Euroclad, Flo Steel, HAY, Hempel, Mike Scott Joinery, Russwood, Steinel, Stovax, Sunflex, The Natural Slate Company
Text description provided by the architects. Rescobie Pavilion is an outdoor room in rural Scotland for a family with an ambition to live a life closer to nature, designed by Edinburgh-based Kris Grant Architect. The thick walls and modest windows of the family’s existing nineteenth-century schoolhouse separated them from the sunlight that falls on the steeply sloping, south-facing, hillside garden that is exposed to the prevailing wind.
The new highly glazed pavilion takes advantage of its elevated position to capture views of the garden and the nearby loch while providing protection from the elements. The glass walls slide back so meals can be enjoyed in the open air. A broad wrap-around, south-facing, balcony means that life can be lived amongst the tree branches with a suspended seat located in the sunny southwest corner.
The building is connected to the landscape by repairing the line of a partially ruined dry stone wall, integrating it as part of a masonry plinth containing a workshop undercroft, above which is framed by the light-filled living and dining space. A mono-pitch roof brings low autumn and winter sun into the space through clerestory glazing, while a deep overhang provides shade in the summer months.
The structure is expressed externally, describing how the building is constructed. Beams support the rails of the sliding upper glazed doors and the lower larch-clad timber door, which are arranged as overlapping layers. Placing the frame on the outside of the building meant that the balcony could be supported without the cold bridging and weatherproofing issues that are normally incurred by the balcony structure projecting from inside to out.
The balustrade is designed with fine mesh panels and the fewest number of posts so as not to interrupt the view from inside, the wide flat top rail is used as a dining shelf during social occasions. Heat is generated by solar gain on the south and west-facing windows, as well as a log-burning stove. Logs are sourced, chopped, and dried on-site. Birch-faced plywood is used internally for walls, ceilings, and integrated furniture to provide a naturally warm finish. Light fittings are concealed within the cabinetry for a subdued lighting level.
