A quaint stone cottage with a red-roofed extension sits amidst tall grasses under a moody sky. Patches of sunlight illuminate parts of the house, creating a striking contrast with the dark clouds above. Bare trees are visible in the background.
Coldrach

Coldrach

Aberdeenshire, Scotland

2012 — 2015

Client   Private Client
Set near the foot of Lochnagar at Crathie in the Scottish Highlands, Coldrach is an 18-century ‘but and ben’ farmhouse that has been extended to incorporate new living space and create a sheltered, West-facing courtyard.
A snowy rural scene with a flock of sheep gathered in front of a rustic stone cottage and a wooden barn. The buildings are nestled among leafless trees with a hilly, snow-covered background.
Exterior view of a modern home with a large glass window showing an interior kitchen and a white rocking chair on a wooden floor. The roof is made of red corrugated metal, and the siding features wooden panels.
A rustic stone cottage and a white barn sit in a green field, backed by a dense forest of autumn trees with orange and yellow foliage. A hillside rises in the background, highlighting the seasonal landscape.

The new is connected to the old by a frameless band of glass, with the remainder of the addition clad in untreated European larch and red-oxide corrugated metal sheets. The result aims to not only mimic the austerity and ad-hoc charm of the existing granite home’s architecture, typical of the Highlands, but also continue the use of vernacular materials – honest and elementary.

Black and white sketch of a farmhouse with a peaked roof and an adjoining barn, both forming an L-shape around a courtyard. The barn has large doors, and theres minimal surrounding vegetation.
A modern building exterior with a combination of wooden panels and red corrugated metal siding, with an open interior view. Architecture by MOXON Architects.
A modern building facade with red corrugated metal and wooden siding, featuring a glass door and staircase, with greenery in the foreground; architecture by MOXON Architects.
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Rolling countryside with grassy fields, distant hills, and a partly cloudy sky, architecture by MOXON Architects.
Partners
Site Agent
TOR Contracting
Structural engineer
Graeme Craig Consulting Engineer
Awards
Aberdeenshire Architectural and Landscape Design Awards Ian Shepherd Award ·Winner ·2016
Saltire Housing Design Awards Saltire Housing Design Award ·Commended ·2017
Aberdeen Society of Architects Wood for Good Award ·Winner ·2018
Scottish Design Awards Residential Award ·Commended ·2017

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