The Prince’s Foundation unveil Dumfries House show homes
September 24 2014
The development incorporates a cottage, farmhouse and Baillie-Scott design, each of which is intended to prove that traditional house types remain suitable for contemporary living.
Incorporating Welsh slate roofs, in a nod to local vernacular, alongside modern vents and vent adapters the development has been commissioned to provide accommodation for employees of the Dumfries House Trust.
The cottage is a three-bedroom family home inspired by Scotland’s rural areas and sits beside two large oak trees. For its part the Baillie-Scott occupies its own woodland clearing and is inspired by the architect Mackay Hugh Baillie-Scott. The vernacular farmhouse design meanwhile marks the entrance to Morrisons Farm – a joint venture with the eponymous supermarket.
Each home avoids use of eco technologies by combining traditional methods with modern passive technologies with insulation provided by use of clay, wood, lime and sheep’s wool.
In a statement the Prince’s Foundation said: "The Welsh Slate used on the Prince's Houses reflects our commitment to the use of lasting, sustainable British materials that not only add to the beauty of the home but also help reduce our impact on the environment.
"Welsh Slate has been used for centuries and is a very sustainable building product due to its low embodied energy. Through the use of this material we are also furthering our commitment to keeping traditional skills alive. The use of slate also means that the designs are sympathetic to the local Scottish vernacular."
The Prince of Wales saved Dumfries House for the nation in 2007 when the monarch stepped in to prevent the home and its contents being auctioned off. The next in line to the throne also backed the nearby Knockroon housing development.
Each home boasts all the mod cons you'd expect
Interiors are comfortable and spacious
The vernacular (farmhouse) design has been delivered in partnership with Morrison's
This three bedroom cottage will be occupied by estate workers
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29 Comments
#2 Posted by cat flap on 24 Sep 2014 at 15:47 PM
My Eyes! I'll never be able to unsee this.
I'd imagine Big Chantelle is going to love it.
Gives me the boke!
I'd imagine Big Chantelle is going to love it.
Gives me the boke!
#3 Posted by Dave on 24 Sep 2014 at 15:48 PM
Erhmm...
#4 Posted by Art Vandelay on 24 Sep 2014 at 16:00 PM
That first paragraph has just made me cry.
#5 Posted by Gringo on 24 Sep 2014 at 16:01 PM
That first image makes me want nachos....
#6 Posted by KB on 24 Sep 2014 at 17:17 PM
I saw the first house once in... Santa Monica, California :)
#7 Posted by Rem Koolbag on 24 Sep 2014 at 19:25 PM
I am all for sophisticated discourse and grown-up critique, but LOL WTF?
As Gringo and KB say that first image is spectacular - looks like Jessie's house from Breaking Bad!
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1336032/thumbs/o-179541730-570.jpg?1
Yeah Bitch!
As Gringo and KB say that first image is spectacular - looks like Jessie's house from Breaking Bad!
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1336032/thumbs/o-179541730-570.jpg?1
Yeah Bitch!
#8 Posted by the sultan of brooneye on 24 Sep 2014 at 20:57 PM
These look like they are taken from the low end of the volume-house-builders design handbook - save for a couple of whistles and bells. Externally they show nothing remarkable or even comment worthy. Urban Realm - anything of the internal spaces that you could show us?
#9 Posted by Robert on 24 Sep 2014 at 21:33 PM
Utterly dreadful, even by Poundbury's standards.
First one doesn't look particularly British either, however questionable that ambition may be...
First one doesn't look particularly British either, however questionable that ambition may be...
#10 Posted by Big Chantelle on 25 Sep 2014 at 09:09 AM
Stunning!
I fully expected the concrete loving modernist brigade to hate it. Anything that aspires to be beautiful is shameful in their eyes. No doubt they are confused how a house built in 2014 doesn't have any zinc cladding or white render with green mould on it.
I fully expected the concrete loving modernist brigade to hate it. Anything that aspires to be beautiful is shameful in their eyes. No doubt they are confused how a house built in 2014 doesn't have any zinc cladding or white render with green mould on it.
#11 Posted by Dr Eck on 25 Sep 2014 at 09:54 AM
These appear to be a very cheap interpretation of the vernacular paying no attention to proportion, composition or detailing. The detailing of gas boxes, boiler drains and external lighting has no design consideration what so ever. Modern rural housing does not require zinc cladding or white render to achieve a good quality design output. An appropriate nod to context, traditional buildings which use modern materials and detailing would suffice. Contrasting to a badly done, pastiche interpretation of outdated traditional housing styles.
#12 Posted by Big Chantelle on 25 Sep 2014 at 10:31 AM
@Dr Eck
Yep, we all know what your kind consider "An appropriate nod to context" : cumbernauld shopping centre plonked in a field.
I praise the architects here for not giving into the lefty architecture mafia who have mauled our towns, villages and cities with their utopian 'visions'.
Yep, we all know what your kind consider "An appropriate nod to context" : cumbernauld shopping centre plonked in a field.
I praise the architects here for not giving into the lefty architecture mafia who have mauled our towns, villages and cities with their utopian 'visions'.
#13 Posted by Rem Koolbag on 25 Sep 2014 at 10:37 AM
Hey Chantelle, 3rd image shows some render staining starting below the window...
#14 Posted by Dr Eck on 25 Sep 2014 at 11:00 AM
@Big Chantelle
Looking to Cumbernauld in isolation is an extremely very narrow view on Scottish architecture. There are many examples of good, contemporary architecture across Scotland that use local materials, modern detailing and will create houses with better quality of space than the ones mentioned in the post above. I appreciate this is not to everyone's taste but given a more open mind you may appropriate some of the work hight lighted elsewhere on urban realm and in the wider press.
Take a look at Poundbury for the future weathering and appearance of this style of design- another Prince Charles inspired recreation of the past...
Looking to Cumbernauld in isolation is an extremely very narrow view on Scottish architecture. There are many examples of good, contemporary architecture across Scotland that use local materials, modern detailing and will create houses with better quality of space than the ones mentioned in the post above. I appreciate this is not to everyone's taste but given a more open mind you may appropriate some of the work hight lighted elsewhere on urban realm and in the wider press.
Take a look at Poundbury for the future weathering and appearance of this style of design- another Prince Charles inspired recreation of the past...
#15 Posted by hingwy on 25 Sep 2014 at 11:05 AM
C'mon, Chantelle is just a troll and sometimes amusing.
#16 Posted by Big Chantelle on 25 Sep 2014 at 12:55 PM
@Big Eck
Right, I've looked to Poundbury as per your instructions and I liked it. Your point?
What good examples are you speaking of? Easterhouse?
@Hingway
Not a troll. Just person who calls a spade and spade and exposes the nonsense that the lefty concrete lovin' brigade have subjected us to all because they have been indoctrinated to think anything even remotely traditional or classical equals evil.
Right, I've looked to Poundbury as per your instructions and I liked it. Your point?
What good examples are you speaking of? Easterhouse?
@Hingway
Not a troll. Just person who calls a spade and spade and exposes the nonsense that the lefty concrete lovin' brigade have subjected us to all because they have been indoctrinated to think anything even remotely traditional or classical equals evil.
#17 Posted by Art Vandelay on 25 Sep 2014 at 13:40 PM
Big Chantelle...is everything in your own house (no doubt a classically influenced gesamtkunstwerk) wrapped in tin foil?
#18 Posted by Big Chantelle on 25 Sep 2014 at 13:58 PM
@Art Vandelay
Yes it is. Obviously. Because me rightly critiquing the anti-classical mob mentality and defending traditional architecture equates to me having personal household items wrapped in tin foil. Naturally. #shakingmyheadatquestion
Yes it is. Obviously. Because me rightly critiquing the anti-classical mob mentality and defending traditional architecture equates to me having personal household items wrapped in tin foil. Naturally. #shakingmyheadatquestion
#19 Posted by bwaaaaaaaaa on 25 Sep 2014 at 15:15 PM
To avoid the duplicity of further debate I am convinced that this example of 21st C housing has been evacuated from the bowels of distorted grovelling entities.
#20 Posted by nah noo nah noo on 25 Sep 2014 at 15:21 PM
@ chantelle
careful that shaking your head you don't lose your tinfoil hat..
careful that shaking your head you don't lose your tinfoil hat..
#21 Posted by the sultan of brooneye on 25 Sep 2014 at 17:01 PM
Thank you UR for supplying some interior shots. It's good to know you're listening :)
That said, I'm not really impressed by them (not UR's fault of course). They still appear to be very similar to the body of work being excreted by volume house builders - perhaps even worse than some......
That said, I'm not really impressed by them (not UR's fault of course). They still appear to be very similar to the body of work being excreted by volume house builders - perhaps even worse than some......
#22 Posted by monkey9000 on 25 Sep 2014 at 17:39 PM
Are these home to be used in the promotion of euthanasia? It's particularly appealing the living room stove with without a flue, how traditional and eco-friendly!
#23 Posted by Ian Nairn Jr on 25 Sep 2014 at 18:47 PM
These are not that bad, and certainly not akin to the work of volume house builders as mentioned above (can anyone find similar types elsewhere?). However they are let down by
a) The external wall colours. Buffs are hard to get right on traditional styles - stick to whites or greys, people.
b) The awful 'boot' eaves/verge junction. That's where I'll grant you the mass housebuilder comparisons.
c) The awkward step and ramped accesses. Just raise the ground level!
a) The external wall colours. Buffs are hard to get right on traditional styles - stick to whites or greys, people.
b) The awful 'boot' eaves/verge junction. That's where I'll grant you the mass housebuilder comparisons.
c) The awkward step and ramped accesses. Just raise the ground level!
#24 Posted by Pious Fraud on 25 Sep 2014 at 19:45 PM
Oh dear. And there was me thinking that soon we would be voyaging among the stars and visiting strange new worlds in incredible spaceships when all the time we were fated to be just serfs in East Ayrshire. I might as well throw the cucumber sandwiches I made for the trip in the bin now.
#25 Posted by Ian Nairn Jr on 26 Sep 2014 at 09:07 AM
Oh, and
d) the unsubstantial underbuilding - that overhanging rendered finish at DPC level just undermines any feeling of solidity.
d) the unsubstantial underbuilding - that overhanging rendered finish at DPC level just undermines any feeling of solidity.
#26 Posted by Art Vandelay on 26 Sep 2014 at 11:11 AM
Ah, Chantelle. It's got nothing to do with your promotion of 'traditional' architecture. It's more the slightly paranoid, vaguely unhinged way you go about it. You'd have us believe there were bands of rogue modernists roaming the country looking for 'old' buildings to demolish.
Unless...there are?!
Unless...there are?!
#27 Posted by Chris on 26 Sep 2014 at 12:57 PM
The first house is really strange. Perhaps they were aiming for an Arts and Crafts/Mockintosh style, but ended up with something that wouldn't look out of place in New Mexico.
#28 Posted by boaby wan on 26 Sep 2014 at 13:22 PM
The terrible/cheap detailing in these is what kills them - it's not like poundbury at all, it's like a developer has seen poundbury and tried to copy it without any care or attention to detail.
Just because it's got a slate roof doesn't make it a "vernacular" design!
The farmhouse looks like a standard house type, has it been tarted up at all, or is it enough to use traditional build over timber frame to say that it's somehow inspired by rural areas?
Nice aspiration - terrible, terrible delivery (as is so often the case)
Just because it's got a slate roof doesn't make it a "vernacular" design!
The farmhouse looks like a standard house type, has it been tarted up at all, or is it enough to use traditional build over timber frame to say that it's somehow inspired by rural areas?
Nice aspiration - terrible, terrible delivery (as is so often the case)
#29 Posted by Walt Disney on 29 Sep 2014 at 13:23 PM
To anyone who says I would like these, I don't. I suspect there has been a huge design and construction effort put in here to create something that can be done cheaper and better by the PLCs. Just as well they paid hee-haw for the land otherwise these would be completely unaffordable. Architecture with a social agenda.....dontcha love it?
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