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October 2014
Helensburgh home metamorphosis recognised

Helensburgh home metamorphosis recognised

October 29 2014

McInnes Gardner Architects have been recognised for their refurbishment of an unprepossessing 1970s home at Shandon Rhue, Helensburgh, into a minimalist hillside landmark.

The metamorphosis saw the tired timber frame property into a huge ‘H’ plan property overlooking the Gareloch with custom features including handmade doors, some of which can be slid open, and a suspended chimney breast hanging over a polished concrete hearth.

A full length window dominates the front façade offering views to the loch below and mountains beyond with textured ‘cast concrete effect’ panels arranged in an ‘H’ formation to reflect the plan of the house.

In their design statement the architects noted: “Our task was to modernise and deliver a minimalist yet striking design, enhancing the virtues of the original house concept and opening spaces as required to meet modern expectations and energy standards and, to create a dynamic architecture, we added a new 'gallery pod' extending from the entrance in the upper wing, passing over the lower wing as a dramatic cantilevered panoramic viewing platform.”

McInnes Gardner picked up the ‘Best Individual new Build’ gong at the Herald Property Awards, the third year in a row the practice has won.

A feature 4m long boomerang shaped worktop dominates the open plan kitchen

A pre-existing timber frame home has been completely rebuilt

Floor to ceiling glazing connects the property to its gardens

The 'H' plan design consists of two single storey wings positioned one above the other

The home is all but unrecognisable from its former guise

10 Comments

#1 Posted by Steve-o on 29 Oct 2014 at 12:19 PM

Be interesting to see how it looked before the modernisation...

#2 Posted by boaby wan on 29 Oct 2014 at 13:22 PM

any plans and before pics UR?
hard to see what's going on here (even harder if you read the description!!)

#3 Posted by urbanrealm on 29 Oct 2014 at 13:44 PM

I've fired up a before snap - still awaiting better images

#4 Posted by Ben on 29 Oct 2014 at 13:49 PM

Prefer the previous house to be honest

#5 Posted by CADMonkey on 29 Oct 2014 at 15:04 PM

Looks quite nice, but how can this possibly be regarded as a "refurbishment"? It says the existing home has been "completely rebuilt". Presumably new build made more sense for VAT.

#6 Posted by David on 29 Oct 2014 at 15:34 PM

In my opinion this is a pretty ugly brash scheme. Fairly well detailed but for me it's main criticism seems to be it doesn't quite know what it is. There seems to be bits of various styles all mashed together and as such it's not got the impact it could have had if there was a clearer vision.

#7 Posted by Stephen on 30 Oct 2014 at 00:42 AM

Would a concept be too much to ask for? Not some esoteric only-for-architects nonsensical high-falutin' post-rationalised gumpf; just an original thought. Like an actual idea for why a building should be built a certain way? Using the word 'dynamic' doesn't count. This building has modernist elements but doesn't follow modernist tenets, it just comes across as a crass pastiche.

#8 Posted by Sven on 30 Oct 2014 at 09:30 AM

I think it is very successful. The window walls take maximum advantage of the views and natural light, the interior is spacious: it will be a great place to live in and raise your spirits. For me a successful building is one that works for its use: this clearly does.