A bothy in the garden - detached extension - was our solution to a brief for an office at home, library and sauna for a small cottage situated within Loch Lomond national park. This detached concept creates less built footprint, avoiding a convoluted internal circulation due to the ‘one room deep’ style of cottage. The extension relies on adopting an appropriate scale with similar materials built with a delicacy of detail to make a strong relationship with the existing cottage. The space between the extension and cottage will feel enclosed, safe and have a simple domestic scale feel.

The planning approved design was developed with privacy and aspect in mind. The existing established birch tree ‘buffer’ to the eastern edge of the site will be completely retained as will the substantial hedge to the lane. Retaining the existing planting will allow the extension instant privacy and at the same time provide screening from the approach roads. To the south, overlooking the level fields the existing sheds will be removed allowing uninterrupted views, only farm animals will see in or be seen from the extension.

Material choices come from the existing cottage with natural blonde/grey sandstone at the extension corner and a grey harled finish wrapping around the curved wall to the open south facing elevation. The roof is a soft copper flowing edge that will adopt a green finish that will virtually disappear into the green backdrop. The stone corner forms a strong boundary to the road, like a fragment of a castle. The curve wall and roof soften the structure to the house edge and rolling landscape. Like the cottage, the extension is more open to the private south/greenbelt aspect and closed to the access lane and road.

Internally the working areas are focused towards the views to the south with larger areas of glazing which will benefit from solar gain. Small picture windows to the north frame views of Ben Lomond.