Architecture practice Ann Nisbet Studio has created a timber-framed house, named Cuddymoss, within a stone ruin in Ayrshire, Scotland.
With the aim of retaining the form of the ruins, Ann Nisbet Studio inserted an insulated timber frame into the existing ruin and created an adjoining timber-clad extension.
The 171-square-metre house is formed of two gabled structures situated perpendicular to one another, connected by a glass corridor.
Built within the long, narrow ruin, the main house has a local material palette of stone, brick and Scottish slate, while the extension build is clad entirely with timber.
The renovated ruin contains a central, double-height living space, kitchen and dining area, with bedrooms at each end, along with a workspace and bedroom accessible via a steel staircase from the main living space.
Meanwhile, with in the second building is a separate living room, with large windows punctured into the volume framing views of the surrounding landscape.
White walls were offset by a steel structural frame and grey furnishings to create bright interiors in the central living space, while stone walls of the ruin feature in the bedrooms.
This living space features wooden floorboards and tan-coloured furniture, offering a warmer material palette.
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Historic Ayrshire brick was sourced nearby and used to repair the existing stone structure, while 10-15 per cent of the reclaimed Scottish slate used for the roofing was sourced on-site.
According to the studio, the ruin was restored with minor amendments to retain its aesthetic, cultural and historic qualities to avoid romanticising the structure.
Within the stone ruin the studio created spaces for nesting and roosting spaces for local wildlife.
Furthermore, an intentional lack of a manicured garden encourages the growth of previously overgrazed land.
Ann Nisbet Studio is a Scottish architecture and design firm specialising in rural architecture. The project by the studio is one of four buildings shortlisted for this year’s RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland award.
Other residential projects found in rural Scotland include an office and home by Mary Arnold-Forster Architects and a gabled guesthouse by Sutherland & Co.
The photography is by David Barbour.
