2017 is proving to be a very busy year already and since January we have begun a number of new renovations which are currently in the initial design stage. Included here are three brief examples to showcase some of the different projects that we have been working on. They include the remodelling of the Falkland Library, a refurbishment of an old fisherman’s cottage (overlooking the picturesque Pittenweem beach) and renovation of a Byre conversion in Perthshire.
OLD BYRE RENOVATION
Fife Architects have been working closely with the client to develop a renovation of their family home. The house is an old byre conversion located in rural Perthshire with views of the surrounding hills, fields and forests. The key design goal was to improve the clarity of the plan, which would allow for better circulation and visual connectivity throughout the building. Walls were removed allowing for visual connections between the courtyard and the garden, as well as increasing the size of the remodelled living room giving it more importance within the home. An external timber porch and boot-room will be added to the front, which will blend into the veranda which runs around to the rear of the building.
The ground floor will consist of a large kitchen, boot-room, living room, 2 bedrooms, an ensuite, 1 main bathroom and a utility room, whilst the upper floor will consist of two large bedrooms with ensuite and a mezzanine overlooking the main living space. The materiality will respect the building and its context, blending into the setting.
LISTED LIBRARY REFURBISHMENT
We have developed options to renovate the ailing Falkland Library and worked with the community to help save it from closure. Together with local community groups the library will now be managed by Falkland Community Hall Trust and is expected to reopen in the summer. The main task of the design is to improve the layout and functioning of the library. The proposal sets out to increase book, desk and reading spaces by removing the partitions, remodel the reading spaces, relocate the main desk to beside the entrance and keep an open plan layout within the main library.
The corridor and store cupboard will be removed allowing for increased library floor space which can serve a s flexible meeting and gallery space. The main desk will be placed by the entrance allowing for more control over access to the building, as well as improving service. The books will mainly be arranged along the wall, allowing for the floor space to be taken by other necessary library items: sofas, e-reading desks.
FISHERMAN’S BEACH COTTAGE CONVERSION
Fife Architects were asked to prepare an initial design for a renovation of an old fisherman’s cottage overlooking Pittenweem beach. The split level building consisted of the original house and a two storey extension to the rear. The brief was to remodel and improve the layout, turning the building into a luxurious holiday home.
The basic layout of the existing building was to remain, but the renovation involved walls being shifted and removed to create an open, light and transparent space. The level change would be made more fluid, improving circulation. The upper floor was not in need of remodelling, but an internal connection with the basement level was to be created, allowing for an additional large room within the property.
All storeys were to be connected by as transparent a staircase as possible, allowing light and views through. The materials chosen for the renovated rooms were a mix of plaster, timber, glass and brick, the latter of which accentuates any of the irregular walls within the design.
