Project Summary
AKA were commissioned to design a contemporary dwelling on a steeply sloping site overlooking Glass, Aberdeenshire. The plot, formerly occupied by two traditional cottages, sits above a dramatic glen with expansive eastward views to receding hills.
Historic mapping confirmed the evolution of the site from a farmworker’s cottage 1871 to a later paired arrangement 1901, informing a design approach rooted in rural lineage while confidently contemporary in expression.
Site analysis identified the steep banking and long-range outlook as the primary generators of form.
The proposal responds by projecting over the slope, the principal gable elevated on slender stilts to frame panoramic views. Open-plan living spaces extend toward this elevated edge, while the master bedroom above occupies the most commanding position.
The 210 sq.m dwelling accommodates five bedrooms within a compact, efficient plan. Materiality is deliberately restrained: larch cladding wraps the volume, a stone roadside gable anchors it to context, and a corrugated metal roof references the agricultural vernacular. A red entrance door provides a precise moment of contrast.
