Sunnyside House, Scotland. 

Sunnyside House is a traditional Scottish Borders farmhouse built from grey sandstone, facing southeast with wonderful views over farmland. Three steeply pitched dormers define the front façade and the character of the house, with two smaller pitched roofs at the rear of the house revealing a U-shaped plan.

Photos © Keith Hunter

The clients contacted GMA looking for help to create a modern family home with a more generous kitchen and dining room, while adding another bedroom and shower room to the property.

The design focuses on creating a new extension that sits next to the house, rather than trying to fundamentally change the plan of the original house. The form and size of the extension follows the pattern of the original house and the character of the steep dormer windows while sitting slightly proud of the house, in response to the shape of the site and to allow the occupants to have uninterrupted views of the stunning landscape to the south.

The extension connects to the existing house with a glass link to clearly distinguish the new from the old. The materials of the extension are quiet and harmonise with the existing house while differing in texture; Siberian larch cladding, which will weather to create a similar grey tone as the existing stone of the house; and corrugated aluminium roofing in slate grey, again creating a similar tone as the original slate roof whilst clearly a contemporary addition. Large windows allow the owners to make the most of the dramatic views across the farmland that they work and live in.

Designed with sustainability in mind, the new extension is highly insulated and energy-efficient. This thoughtful addition enhances the original farmhouse, ensuring its continued use for many years to come.

Project
Sunnyside House
Near Hawick, Scottish Borders

Client
Private

Status
Completed 2023

Collaborators
Narro Associates (Structural Engineer)
Ralph Ogg & Partners (Quantity Surveyor)
JMS Harkin Ltd (Contractor)

Photos © Keith Hunter