Gable House

Sitting on an extensive site surrounded by mature trees and extraordinary views, The Gables is a large extension to a traditional Georgian House in Glasgow, Scotland. The clients' brief was to create an exceptional family home which would include a generous open plan living area with master suite, a garage, gym and pool facilities.

We set out to design an extension that would complement the original Georgian house while making the most of the building's unique setting. The form of the house extension mirrors that of the original house in elevation and section. However, each half of the building has a unique identity expressing their relative eras' construction methods and technologies. While the glazed link connects the two parts of the house, distinguishing old and new.

The house is made up of four separate volumes, all connected through a series of internal and external walkways. This approach takes inspiration from local steading groupings which spread functions across multiple buildings to form exterior spaces. These open courtyards capture sunlight and provide shelter from prevailing weather conditions.

All ancillary accommodation is positioned in the floorplan's depth, allowing the kitchen and main double-height living space to face west, celebrating the exceptional views. The bedroom benefits from both morning and evening light, with a partly recessed terrace looking over the surrounding landscape. The ancillary buildings, linked to the house by canopies, accommodate the garage, gym and pool. Both buildings reference the language of the main house but reduced in scale in response to the context.

A palette of high-quality natural materials has been carefully selected to be in keeping with the semi-rural setting. These match the palette used on the original Georgian house but have been applied to reflect the new property's contemporary style. The building's gables are formed of Scottish stone, a local and long-lasting material that will age with grace like the existing house. The west facade comprises reclaimed slate walls and an aluminium glazing system that frames the panoramic views. Applying larch to the soffits of the covered walkways and adds warmth and richness.