Our clients for this project have a flooring company with showroom and warehouse on Whitehill Street in Edinburgh. They approached us as their current facilities are no longer fit for purpose and they would like to relocate to a different location in Scotland for logistics purposes.

Our brief was to redevelop the site from an industrial use to a residential use which is a better fit for the surrounding village of Newcraighall. The existing warehouse on the site is to be demolished to enable a new 10-unit residential building to be constructed. The existing ground floor show room is to be converted into a separate commercial unit. An initial feasibility study was undertaken to ascertain what could be accommodated on the site and examine possible planning or building control constraints.

The proposals aim was to create a building which added to the existing character of the village while also adapting for open plan living representing a modern interpretation of the traditional style present within the village. We utilised the site’s key characteristics such as the views to the South and of a listed church building to the West. The scheme was developed to maximise external spaces to the South maximising the south light and orientate windows to the west to capitalise on the views of the church building. This design concept was also developed to shape the building as such to minimise any overshadowing that the building would cause to neighbouring buildings and gardens.

To the street front, the building resonates with the adjacent terraced brick building in form but through the introduction of ashlar stone panels which are expressed on the side elevation adds a contemporary take. To the rear a series of brick steps in plan maximise the use of the site while still ensuring we prevent any overshadowing of neighbouring buildings and gardens. A feature timber clad box to the rear houses south facing balconies. Modern materials such as zinc, ashlar stone, buff brick, timber battens and exposed concrete are proposed for the building. The final solution is a contemporary take on the existing terraced building adjacent setting the building neatly into the village context.

Currently, a full planning application has been submitted for which we are awaiting feedback.