Ann Nisbet Studio

Architecture-Research-Design

09.2021: Skye Project wins RIAS Award for Architecture

We are delighted that our Mobile Micro Home in the Isle of Skye has won an RIAS Award for Architecture. Congratulations and thanks to our client Ali, Michael MacKinnon Joinery ( Main Contractor) Design Team and the rest of the team involved in the project.

Christina Gaiger, the RIAS president, said: “The covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of our built environment to individuals and communities, and the RIAS Awards are a moment to pause and celebrate the incredible difference that architects are making across the country.

“This year’s RIAS awards demonstrate the critical role architecture can play – whether that is delivering better homes and public services, addressing climate change, celebrating our shared culture and heritage, or simply giving moments of real delight. There is a real breadth in this year’s clutch of RIAS Awards, and each of them is a very worthy winner.”

Photo Credit: David Barbour

07.2021 – Planning Approved: New Sustainable Home in Lanarkshire

We are delighted to receive planning on this zinc and timber clad new house in the Lanarkshire landscape. This building gentle curves around the site allowing views to be captured on all sides of the new house. The form provides a sheltered outdoor space, which is accessed from key rooms in the house.

The materials zinc and siberian larch rain screen cladding emulate those commonly found in the rural landscape.

The Building Warrant and Construction packages are now under way and the project will commence on site in early 2022.

01.2021: Constructions starts on our ‘Garden House’ in Dumfries.

Construction has commenced on our Garden House in Dumfries. The new house is located in a mature garden and is formed from four brick clad volumes, which create private garden spaces and courtyards in the ‘in between’ spaces.

The new house is due to be completed in Autumn 2021

Further information on the project can be found in the ‘Work’ section

12.2020: Construction starts on New House on Isle of Arran, North Ayrshire.

Our timber clad house and outbuilding in the Isle of Arran commences on site

The house is located on the former site of  an historic Clachan and more recently a series of farm buildings. The new house is located within the stone ruins of the former dwellings, emulating the form, proportions and story of the former clachan.

12/2020 – Glasgow Institute of Architects: Conservation and Renovation Talk

We were delighted to be invited to talk about our Albert Drive renovation project at the Glasgow Institute of Architects: Conservation and Renovation series of talks.

The project is located on the ground floor of a converted sandstone villa within the Pollokshields’ Conservation Area, this project created a light, open plan kitchen forming a new central hub of a family home more images here

07. 2020 – Multi Generational Home in Angus starts on site

Our Multi Generational Farmhouse has started on site this month. Located in Angus, this new farmhouse has been designed to accommodate three generations of the same family. The form and design of the house references the  forms and characteristics of traditional farm buildings in this specific area of Angus.

The building is clad in zinc and larch cladding. The project employs a fabric first approach, with both buildings heated via a ground source heat pump.

We’re looking forward to seeing this project take shape over the next few months.

Homes and Interiors Magazine

Homes and Interiors Scotland Magazine
Project: Albert Drive, Polloksheilds, Glasgow
Article by Caroline Ednie
Photographs: David Barbour

Grand Designs Magazine

Grand Designs Magazine
Project: Altarf: Mobile Micro Home
Article by Caroline Ednie
Photographs: David Barbour


02.2020: Guest Lecture at Glasgow School of Art

We were delighted to be invited to talk to the Architecture students at the GSA  about our project that formed part of the Architecture Fringe Festival 2019, which looked at ideas relating to rejuvenating and re purposing Scotland’s abandoned coastal swimming pools  and our on going research into Scotland’s historic coastal and tidal pools.

We are looking forward to visiting PIttenween tidal pool with the students in the following few weeks and see their projects develop over the next couple of months.

Altarf: Micro-Home, Isle of Skye

Mobile House: Isle of Skye. 

Located on the Isle of Skye, this mobile micro home prototype was developed as a low cost, thermally efficient, mobile house, designed for the rural landscape.

The Client’s initial brief was for a ‘small but not tiny’ permanent house.. However, after discovering that the ground conditions on the site were poor and would not support traditional foundations, a ‘mobile house’ concept was developed.

The house contains three main spaces, which are open to the apex, to provide a feeling of space, light and height. Each is divided by a deep storage wall, containing storage or other functions. The three spaces flow together, creating a greater feeling of space and light throughout the building.

A kitchen and living space with a small stove  is located centrally, with a shower room and bedroom located at the gable ends. The internal walls and ceilings are clad in birch faced ply. The floors are finished in a dark grey rubber flooring.

Externally, the building is clad in a mixture of black standing seam zinc and untreated Siberian larch cladding. These materials are commonly found within the rural landscape. Both external and internal materials were considered in terms of longevity, re-use, maintenance and environmental impact.

The house was constructed off site with 15 miles of the site.  Once complete, the building was transported across the Skye landscape, to the site and lifted into position.

A traditional dry-stane wall was built along the edge of the site, grounding the new building into the landscape.

In the future the building can be removed from site and travel to a new location, where its narrative will continue.

Photographs: David Barbour

Area: 30m²    Completion: Autumn 2019・ Client: Private


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12.2019: GIA Awards – Commendation in the Small Works Category

We are delighted that our renovation project on Albert Drive was awarded a commendation at the GIA Architecture Awards on Friday night.

The project is located on the ground floor of a converted sandstone villa within the Pollokshields’ Conservation Area, this project created a light, open plan kitchen forming a new central hub of a family home more images here

Congratulations to our Client’s Katy and Nick and the rest of the team involved in the project.

Pollokshields: Renovation and Zinc Extension

Pollokshields: Villa Renovation

A renovation and extension to a ground floor villa apartment in the Pollokshields Conservation area.

Located in the ground floor of a converted sandstone villa within the Polloksheilds’ Conservation Area, this project created a light, open plan kitchen forming a new central hub of a family home This was achieved by readjusting the focus from the front shared garden to the private rear garden and re-planning the internal circulation through out the ground floor. The new full height zinc dormer creates a modern intervention between the two-storey villa and the former utilitarian building to the rear, bringing in much need light into the kitchen and forming a new connection to the garden.

The low ceiling in the kitchen was removed, opening the space up to the apex, a new roof light was added to bring further light into the rear of the kitchen. Work included insulating the walls, floor and ceiling of the new space and constructing a new acoustic and fire separation wall between the existing house and neighbouring property.

The material palette both internally and externally was kept simple and robust.

Photographs: David Barbour

Area: 50m²    Completion: Summer 2018・ Client: Private

Press (Selected):

Home Building and Renovating Magazine

Homes and Interiors Scotland Magazine

Awards

GIA Small Project Award 2019: Highly Commended

Kerrera Community Hub

We were appointed by the Isle of Kerrera Development Trust to produce a detailed Feasibility study and business plan investigating purchasing and converting the former school on the island to a much needed Community space.  The proposals include the renovation of the existing school building, a new auxiliary building to provide office and workshop space and a modern bothy for artist residencies.

We are delighted that The Scottish Fund Fund has awarded full funding for the Community of Kerrera to purchase the school building from Argyll and Bute Council. IKDT have already carried out a number of work stages relating to the renovation and conversion of the building. We look forward to seeing the project completed.

06.2019 – Re Types Exhibition at Archi-Fringe Festival

Ann Nisbet Studio were asked to take part in the Architectural Fringe Festival’s Re Types Exhibition and explore adaptive re-purposing of an imagined existing building or structure. The studio’s project explores ideas relating to rejuvenating and re purposing Scotland’s abandoned coastal swimming pools and comments on local democracy, land ownership, social isolation and collective bathing.

Re Types Exhibition takes place at the Exhibition Lighthouse Gallery 7 – 23 June 2019. More info Click Here

05.2019: AJ 100 Keynote Speech on Custom Build Housing

Delighted to give the keynote speech alongside Brian McGinlay at the AJ100  lunch in Glasgow. We shared our research and initial ideas from our collaborative Dundashill custom build housing project and also our Bantaskin Street Project.

05.2019: Isle of Kerrera Community Building receives funding for buyout.

Over the last year, we have been working with the Isle of Kerrera Development Trust to produce a Feasibility study investigating buying and converting the former school on the island to a much needed Community space.  The proposals include the renovation of the school, a new auxiliary building and a modern bothy for artist residencies.

We are delighted that The Scottish Fund Fund has awarded full funding for the Community of Kerrera to purchase the school building from Argyll and Bute Council.

Garden House: Dumfries

Garden House: Dumfries

Located in the clients existing mature garden, the new house is formed from four brick clad volumes, which create private garden spaces and courtyards in the ‘in between’ spaces.

Our client’s were looking to down size from their existing home, which had an extensive garden. It was proposed to locate a new modern house within the mature garden. The house was to be bright and light, capturesviews of the garden but retained the clients privacy and avoided over looking of the neighbouring property.

The main public rooms are formed around a three sided courtyard, which provides a private and sheltered outdoor garden space, with the bedrooms located in the two storey element at the rear.

Area 175sm Completed: January 2022  Private: Client

Bantaskin Street, Glasgow

Plot 3 Bantaskin Street

Ann Nisbet Studio were appointed by a private client to prepare design proposals for a two bedroom home as part of the Bantaskin Street Self Build Pilot. Glasgow City Council are undertaking a ‘self build’ pilot project adjacent to the Forth and Clyde Canal Locks in Maryhill, Glasgow.  The city hope to adopt this approach to various brownfield and vacant sites around the city.

The two storey building references the former metal industrial sheds, which were located along and around this area of the canal. A simple two storey, long and linear form with a pitched roof was developed. The house is clad in black corrugated aluminum sheets on both the walls and roof, which forms a simple silhouette.

A fabric first approach was adopted. Large areas of glazing were designed for passive solar gain. High levels of insulation and triple glazed windows are used in the building fabric. An air source heat pump and waste water heat recovery system have also been incorporated into the design.

Size: 95sqm  Client: Private Stage 0 – 4 

Awards

Bantaskin Project: Shortlisted for RTPI Planning Award