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A modern cottage at one with the Scottish countryside

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A dilapidated dwelling makes way for a new build home that takes advantage of stunning panoramic views.

Spring Cottage nestles along a narrow, wooded, east facing slope in Aberdeenshire, surrounded by breathtaking panoramic views.

Originally home to a small dilapidated dwelling, the owners chose to remove it and build a completely new private home that responds to the existing site’s topography, has a strong connection to the natural environment and maximises the natural sources of light and fresh air.

They chose architects Covell Matthews to design the new home over the footprint of the original house. This not only minimised the impact on the natural landscape but also made the most of the spectacular rural and sea views beyond.

Enriching lives with daylight

The design features striking mono-pitch roof that reflects the sloping topography of the site and provides an excellent opportunity for the introduction of daylight through fenestration.

“Key environmental considerations for Spring Cottage included energy efficiency, ventilation, and natural lighting,” the Covell Matthews team explained. “The owners’ objective was to achieve a high-performance building which maximised energy efficiency and deliver a space that would enrich their lives through daylight and fresh air.”
Connection to the outdoors

Eighteen pitched VELUX roof windows were installed on the mono-pitched roof to maximise the amount of daylight entering the living space and upper floor areas. They were strategically positioned to respond to the east facing orientation, flooding the internal space with natural light and providing exceptional outward looking views.

It was also the aspiration of the designers that optimised daylighting would work alongside the building’s other energy systems – heat recovery, air source heat pump and insulation – and combine to provide an internal environment that would facilitate excellent performance and enhanced energy efficiency. The result is a unique, stylish home that works in harmony with its surroundings.

"The VELUX roof window system is one of the most significant achievements of the design. It has given us a powerful connection to the world outside and helped us form a genuine relationship with our home’s beautiful location"
- homeowners

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