Doo’cot Cottage is a small project with a big focus on context, craft and continuity.

Set within the historic Ruchlaw Estate in East Lothian, this refurbishment explores our ongoing approach to working with existing rural buildings - one that treats conservation not as replication, but as a careful dialogue between old and new.

Rather than pastiche, our work on projects like this is guided by a contemporary reading of the rural vernacular.

We look to understand the logic of traditional forms, materials and proportions, then reinterpret them in a way that supports modern living while remaining rooted in place.

At Doo’cot Cottage, this meant retaining the character of the original stone structure while introducing a new timber-clad extension with a pitched corrugated metal roof - a material palette that references agricultural buildings and estate structures yet is clearly of its time.

Internally, the layout was reworked to improve flow, daylight and usability, ensuring the house functions as a comfortable, modern home.

For us, successful conservation projects are not about freezing buildings in time, but allowing them to evolve, adding a new layer to their story while respecting what came before.

P.S. None of this would have been possible without the creativity and hard work of our Associate Director Stephanie Else, who brought these ideas to life so beautifully.