{"id":778403,"date":"2025-03-21T07:21:13","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T07:21:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=778403"},"modified":"2025-03-21T15:08:01","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T15:08:01","slug":"somner-macdonald-adds-pyramid-roofed-extension-to-arts-and-crafts-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/buildings\/somner-macdonald-adds-pyramid-roofed-extension-to-arts-and-crafts-house","title":{"rendered":"Somner Macdonald adds pyramid-roofed extension to Arts and Crafts house"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The project involved some work to the existing house but focused primarily on the new extension, which is topped by two 6m and 7m-high asymmetric roof forms and enjoys views out to the garden planting, ponds and courtyards.<\/p>\n<p>The spatial planning introduces subtle divisions and level changes to demarcate zones, while long sightlines maintain a sense of openness and connection to the garden through floor-to-ceiling glazing.<\/p>\n<p>Picking up on the original home\u2019s proportions, the new lofty gallery-like living spaces have skylights set within the apex of the roofs, positioned to direct light into the interior while preventing overheating.<\/p>\n<p>A rich minimal palette of pale brick, warm-toned concrete floors and terracotta roof tiles has been used, while landscaping includes a terrace, planters and a mature olive tree courtyard.<\/p>\n<h3>Architect\u2019s view<\/h3>\n<p>There\u2019s a richness to the old part of the house, and the new addition needed to speak to it \u2013 without simply replicating it. The main driver was to create a stunning kitchen, living and dining space that flowed effortlessly from the old part of the house into the new and out to the garden. The client had a few prerequisites \u2013 lots of glass, big boot rooms, big pantries \u2013 lots of function for easy family living.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re not outdoors, but you\u2019re so aware of how close nature is. We wanted the extension to feel like a natural evolution of the original design while introducing a bold modernity. Bringing in the brick from the outdoors to the same finish on the walls inside creates richness, contrast and tactile finishes. There\u2019s something really calming about the scale of the space \u2013 it\u2019s almost ecclesiastical. you\u2019re not outdoors, but you\u2019re so aware of how close nature is. It\u2019s a distinct departure, but it balances and enriches the original house.<\/p>\n<p>From the front door, you get this wonderful view through the extension \u2013 brick-lined walls, concrete floors, and a singular tall pivot door leading to the courtyard, where a mature olive tree adds a special touch.<br \/>\n<em>Se\u00e1n Gaule, architect director, Somner Macdonald Architects<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Project data<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Location<\/strong> Edinburgh<br \/>\n<strong>Start on site<\/strong> April 2o22<br \/>\n<strong>Completion<\/strong>\u00a0August 2024<br \/>\n<strong>Gross internal floor area<\/strong> 630m<sup>2<br \/>\n<\/sup><strong>Form of contract<\/strong> Traditional Negotiated Tender \u2013 SBCC MWD\/Scot 2016<br \/>\n<strong>Construction cost<\/strong> Undisclosed<br \/>\n<strong>Architect<\/strong> Somner MacDonald Architects<br \/>\n<strong>Client<\/strong> Private<br \/>\n<strong>Structural engineer<\/strong> Narro Associates<br \/>\n<strong>Interior designer<\/strong> Jane Perfect Interiors<br \/>\n<strong>Approved building inspector<\/strong> City of Edinburgh Council<br \/>\n<strong>Main contractor<\/strong> Orocco<br \/>\n<strong>CAD software used<\/strong> Vectorworks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The project involved some work to the existing house but focused primarily on the new extension, which is topped by two 6m and 7m-high asymmetric roof forms and enjoys views out to the garden planting, ponds and courtyards. The spatial planning introduces subtle divisions and level changes to demarcate zones, while long sightlines maintain a &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32845,"featured_media":778426,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[706],"tags":[45758,1350,1919,101548],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Somner Macdonald adds pyramid-roofed extension to Arts and Crafts house<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Somner Macdonald has extended a 1910 Arts and Crafts house in Edinburgh with 100m2 of gallery-like living space\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/buildings\/somner-macdonald-adds-pyramid-roofed-extension-to-arts-and-crafts-house\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Somner Macdonald adds pyramid-roofed extension to Arts and Crafts house\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Somner Macdonald has extended a 1910 Arts and Crafts house in Edinburgh with 100m2 of gallery-like living space\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/buildings\/somner-macdonald-adds-pyramid-roofed-extension-to-arts-and-crafts-house\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Architects\u2019 Journal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-03-21T07:21:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-03-21T15:08:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/12153054\/Hermitage-JimStephenson-1.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"620\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"413\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Rob Wilson\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Rob Wilson\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/buildings\/somner-macdonald-adds-pyramid-roofed-extension-to-arts-and-crafts-house\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/buildings\/somner-macdonald-adds-pyramid-roofed-extension-to-arts-and-crafts-house\",\"name\":\"Somner Macdonald adds pyramid-roofed extension to Arts and Crafts house\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-21T07:21:13+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-21T15:08:01+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/12806917e77ff2de74f79bac098aac26\"},\"description\":\"Somner Macdonald has extended a 1910 Arts and Crafts house in Edinburgh with 100m2 of gallery-like living space\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/buildings\/somner-macdonald-adds-pyramid-roofed-extension-to-arts-and-crafts-house#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/buildings\/somner-macdonald-adds-pyramid-roofed-extension-to-arts-and-crafts-house\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/buildings\/somner-macdonald-adds-pyramid-roofed-extension-to-arts-and-crafts-house#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Somner Macdonald adds pyramid-roofed extension to Arts and Crafts house\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/\",\"name\":\"The Architects\u2019 Journal\",\"description\":\"Architecture News &amp; 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