Private Homes \ Ravelston Dykes, Edinburgh

The existing house  was built in the 1920s on the north side of Ravelston Dykes and is a two storey detached house laid out under a large pitched slated roof. As with all the other properties on Ravelston Dykes the house is set back from the road with the traditional south facing front garden and the larger north facing rear garden that is 1.5 metres below the front and entrance level.

The existing form of the house and the rear garden facade fails to make the most of either its level change and the large rear garden. The proposed development required significant modernisation and alterations to the existing house to create a new rear garden level living space and re-organisation of the ground and first floors to provide more open plan living, dining and kitchen area and to allow as much daylight and sunlight to penetrate the buildings north (rear) elevation.

The key move was to remove an existing conservatory and relocate the existing stairs to create a single large living space at entrance level opening up the rear facade with large glazed sliding and folding panels and a connecting stair directly down to garden level. The creation of a sunken terrace and garden room allow for direct contact with the garden while at the same time allowing direct late afternoon sun light to penetrate the north facing facade.

The main stair is relocated to the side of the house and takes up the space which was utility and shower room on the ground floor and the main bathroom on the first floor. A new master bedroom en-suite bathroom now occupies the space at the top of the stairs. An existing first floor study is now divided in two to create 2 new wet rooms.

This project was shortlisted for an EAA Award, and is shortlisted for a RIAS/RIBA Award.