Minimalistic line drawing of a village street with simple outlines of buildings on both sides, leading to a central cluster of rooftops. Black lines on a white background create a sense of perspective and depth.

Fife Brae

Aberdeenshire, Scotland

2017 — ongoing

Client Artfarm

Housing

Designed to address ancillary requirements of the adjacent Fife Arms Hotel, the scheme provides 15 staff beds, workshops and stores within a tightly constrained site. The massing is split into 4 distinct but related parts to reduce the impact on the surrounding residential properties while allowing the design to follow the contours of the land.

A detailed architectural map showing a cluster of buildings, roads, and a river on the right. Trees are dispersed throughout, with pathways interconnecting the structures. Lines depict the layout and positioning of each element in the area.

Larch rainscreen cladding used creatively in different panel widths and directions makes reference to materials found in the village and wider locality, with extensively planted, traditional slate and profiled metal roofs defining the separate parts at high level. Requiring detailed negotiation with the Planning Authority during the design stages consent was secured for a high-density scheme that occupied the entire site while balancing the Client’s briefing requirements with a sensitive physical and civic context.

An isometric architectural drawing showcasing a neighborhood layout with houses, roads, and pink trees. The central focus is a modern building with a slanted roof, surrounded by traditional-style buildings on a grid-like street plan.

A series of architectural renderings shows a building with red roofs and modern additions, integrated into a snowy, white cityscape with trees and surrounding structures from various angles.

Quality communal living spaces and a high specification were developed within a tight budget to provide staff with a friendly and settled domestic environment. The scheme incorporates rainwater collection, a Ground Source Heat Pump and high levels of insulation to achieve a sustainable, low energy and low carbon building.