Ravelston villa thinks outside the suburban box
June 8 2023
A contemporary interpretation of the standard suburban villa is set to shake up the serried streets of Ravelston with the award of planning consent by The City of Edinburgh Council.
Replacing an existing property at Ravelston Dykes Road the showstopping Gfivethree home seeks to take suburban architecture in a bold new direction with a deceptive single-storey pitched roof to the street giving way to a courtyard, bisected by a feature 'bridge' deck spanning the split-level accommodation.
Deferring to its expansive garden grounds overlooking Corstorphine Hill the building weaves between established silver birch trees on a topographically challenging site to make full use of space, light and views. In a statement, the architects said: "Conceived from the outset as the antithesis to the showy, rectilinear status symbols of the adjacent Ravelston III development, the consented design aims to place subtlety and context at the forefront of its design principles."
Awarding consent the chief planning officer wrote: "The application for development is acceptable in relation to the relevant policies within National Planning Framework 4 and the Edinburgh Local Development Plan. The proposal would not have an unacceptable impact on the character of the area or neighbouring residential amenity. There are no material planning considerations which outweigh this conclusion."
The five-bedroom villa builds on tradition with load-bearing masonry walls referencing the rubble walls of the existing home alongside locally sourced timber - in stark contrast to the use of blackened steel, concrete and visible structural elements.
A courtyard gym permits a run outside without leaving the building
A glazed central courtyard frames retained trees and gardens
A standard pitched roof and driveway present to the street, punctuated by a fully glazed dormer
All the action takes place in the interior, with a dramatic bridge link corridor connecting upper and lower levels
The generous plan encompasses five bedrooms, a living and kitchen space, pantry, artist’s studio, gymnasium, sauna and steam rooms
|
2 Comments
Post your comments
Back to June 2023
Like us on Facebook
Become a fan and share
