Rescobie Pavilion

“To live life outdoors, sheltered from the wind” was the condensed brief to maximise a family’s enjoyment of their sloping, exposed, south facing garden, from dawn until midnight. An existing, partially ruined, dry stone boundary wall has been built up to form a robust stone plinth, containing a workshop and store, on which is perched a steel and glass living space, framing elevated views over Rescobie Loch to the south east and the well-tended garden to the west. A monopitch roof brings shifting light into the depth of the plan throughout the day via a band of clerestory glazing. Sliding planes of glass and timber open up the building to the surrounding tree canopy and countryside. A broad wrap-around balcony cantilevers over the garden, designed for socialising with integral dining shelf, drinks recess and suspended corner seat, placed to enjoy the last rays of evening sun. At night the family and friends can retreat indoors around a log burning stove, complemented by the subdued glow of warm lighting concealed within the birch plywood shelf lined interior. Materially, stone recovered from the site was mixed with new local Forfar stone to build the solid base. Larch cladding faces the upper walls and an external steel frame cradles the insulated timber box of the living space. Steel structure was selected for its long spans and ability to cantilever. Sufficient solar gain is generated through the large areas of glazing to provide a good ambient daytime temperature even in winter, while the deep roof overhang prevents overheating in summer. The clients appointed the architect two months after he started his own practice and this constitutes his first completed building. It demonstrates an interest in the method of construction.