Equine House | Loader Monteith

Loader Monteith has unveiled a new home in the Scottish countryside for an active family characterised by a striking extruded aluminium window frame and black-stained larch cladding.

The new 155 square metre home occupies part of a retired and subdivided dairy farm in South Lanarkshire. The clients initially moved into a static caravan on site to first establish their horse livery business, and subsequently achieved planning for a vast 360 square metre new build home. In 2018, the clients were referred to Loader Monteith and briefed the architects to rethink the previously approved plans to craft a practical, social family base for the day to day runnings of the flourishing horse stables.

Loader Monteith first reduced the footprint of the home, designing a highly usable compact floor plan set over two storeys featuring the required four bedrooms, snug, open plan kitchen and living, and covered outdoor area. The new layout was designed to maximise views over the 25 acre farm, with large windows along the East elevations offering uninterrupted vistas across the South Lanarkshire valley beyond.

The open plan kitchen, living room and dining space feels part of the landscape through a large triple glazed window seat, set slightly out of the floor plan and defined by a red aluminium frame. This architectural detail features sloping chamfered edges to allow more natural light in, and create longer skywards views. Loader Monteith wrapped this frame around the southeastern corner, creating a satisfying, cubic facade that neatly lines with the covered outdoor terrace on the second floor.

Bedrooms, a family bathroom and undercover patio occupy the second storey. Oriented East to make the most of the morning sun, the patio was conceived as a quiet place to survey the landscape, protected by a frameless glass balustrade. Angling views towards the East also offers the clients and their surrounding neighbours a high level of privacy; the subdivided farm is occupied by six residential dwellings in close proximity, so the architects designed large apertures overlooking the clients own land, with smaller windows in circulation spaces to draw more natural light in, but not provide views out.

Loader Monteith introduced energy efficient systems to the project in line with the studio's rigorous approach to sustainability. The Equine House benefits from an Air Source Heat Pump, highly insulated shell, triple glazing and underfloor heating. Sustainably farmed black larch cladding and white render protects the exterior, topped by a recycled aluminium roof.

Matt Loader, Director at Loader Monteith says:

‘The idea behind the Equine House reflects an integral part of our own practice ethos, which is to build only what we need, and do it as sustainably and beautifully as possible.

'David and Louisa’s aspiration for the site was all about usability and practicality; we listened to their brief and arrived at a home that is highly tailored to their family and lifestyle, with design incorporated in both smaller and more impactful gestures to elevate the scheme from modest, to exceptional.’

David Johnstone and Louisa Wallace, clients say:

‘We purchased the property in 2007 and spent our time building up our horse livery business and getting to know the landscape. We lived in a 35 square metre static caravan on site which we actually quite enjoyed; it was wonderful to be so close as a family while our children were so young, and afforded us great opportunities to invest in the kids’ sporting pursuits. ’

‘The first planning application that was approved was for a much larger house, but it’s hard to imagine having anything other than Loader Monteith’s design on the site. It is a beautiful home that feels right for the farm, the black larch and window were driven by Loader Monteith and we love them. The new house hasn’t really changed how we live our lives, it’s just enhanced them. Although, it is nice to wake up in the morning and not know what the outside temperature is!’

Project Architect:        Matt Loader

Design team: Louis Wiszniewski

Clients: David Johnstone and Louisa Wallace

Structural engineer:  David Narro Associates

CDM co-ordinator: Loader Monteith

Main contractor: LAS Construction Projects

Joinery: LAS Construction Projects

Photography: Dapple Photography

Website: www.dapplephotography.co.uk
IG: https://www.instagram.com/dapple.photography/