My favourite project is one where we were able meet the clients' needs, whilst exploring many of our greatest interests to produce interesting aesthetics. This was a project to regenerate an existing listed building in an Edinburgh Conservation Area, making it particularly important that changes to it contribute positively to the story of the building. We were able to address the clients spatial requirements through some internal alterations, but the real success of the project was the result of tuning-in to their tastes and developing a bespoke style.

Many of the Georgian and Victorian Mews Houses in Edinburgh are listed buildings. They have a particularly interesting story to tell, having originally been servants quarters and stables, then houses for artisans, and now desirable residences. As a result of their changing uses, these buildings have often been altered many times, which can lead to unusual proportions and under-used space. In this case, the clients were keen to improve the entrance, enlarge the kitchen, and make use of the attic for additional bedrooms. This was achieved by altering the floor heights and introducing a architecturally designed stair, featuring floating treads supported by a steel spine.

The structural alterations were complemented by some internal design, enabling the clients to make their mark on each of the re-proportioned spaces. Having tuned-in with their interest in modernist and mid-century design, we designed some Mondrian-inspired built-in storage, which also includes the same light oak used in the new stair. The contemporary baluster was repeated on the external Juliette balcony, one of the only external signals of the internal changes. The clients particularly relish this subtle touch, which indicates the continuation of the story without detracting from the heritage of the listed building.