This Scottish Home Gives One Retiree Surreal Waterfront Views

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Project Details:

Location: Cove, Scotland

Architect: Cameron Webster Architects

Footprint: 2,690 square feet

Builder: QBuild Ltd

Structural Engineer: Narro Associates

Photographers: David Barbour and Paul Tyagi

From the Architect: "Located on a tight narrow strip of land, the client sought a house that would take advantage of the beauty of its wild coastal setting. The brief was to maximize living space on the modest site and create accommodation that would be flexible and accessible, which was a key consideration for the owner who is nearing retirement age. Cameron Webster Architects used the site’s constraints as the main design driver. The result is a long, linear single-story box featuring four bedrooms facing a garden, culminating in a spectacular sea and sky-facing open plan living area to the front, with floor-to-ceiling glazing and a decking area beneath a timber soffit. Effectively half of the house is on land, and half is in the air, anchored to the rocks below by two V-shaped steel legs.

"A sustainable fabric first approach was taken. The chosen external material finishes create an elegant contemporary home but on a practical level also address the exposed coastal site. Kebony, a timber cladding that’s utilized in marine environments, was chosen for its robustness. Its weathering silvery finish also complements the floor-to-ceiling height triple-glazed elements to the main living areas. The locally sourced, rough basalt/quartz stone cladding references the craggy rocks below.

"Internally, a generous linear roof light in the wide corridor provides a welcoming transitional space between the main entrance, bedroom wing, and the living area. Interior details include Sapele (a sustainable hardwood) finishes to the ceilings giving the space a nautical, maritime feel, seamlessly extending to form the timber soffit to the terraces outside."