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Architects: Somner Macdonald Architects
- Area: 630 m²
- Year: 2024
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Photographs:Jim Stephenson
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Manufacturers: Dornbracht, Gessi, Wienerberger, Caesarstone, Corston, Flexalighting, Lazenby, Quooker, Samuel Heath, Soho Lighting, Tom Kirk
Text description provided by the architects. Somner Macdonald Architects has reinvigorated a 1910 Arts and Crafts home in Edinburgh, Scotland, matching its historic grandeur with a dramatic, modern extension. Hermitage features soaring asymmetric roof forms that translate into a commanding, six-metre, gallery-like interior volume.
"There's a richness to the old part of the house, and the new addition needed to speak to it – without simply replicating it," says Seán Gaule, architect and director of Somner Macdonald Architects. The team utilised both physical and digital models to carefully study scale and proportion, ensuring the new extension would feel perfectly balanced. Skylights set within the apex of the roof are positioned to direct light into the interior while preventing overheating.
"The main driver was to create a stunning kitchen, living and dining space that flowed effortlessly from the old part of the house into the new and out to the garden," Gaule notes. The spatial planning introduces subtle divisions and level changes to demarcate zones, while long sightlines maintain a sense of openness and connection to the backyard. Floor-to-ceiling glass adds further emphasis to a new terrace, pond and lush surroundings. "You're not outdoors, but you're so aware of how close nature is," Gaule says.
Materials such as pale brick, terracotta roof tiles, warm-toned concrete, and oak echo both elements of the original home and the desire for an inviting family abode. Hermitage finds the equilibrium between its Arts and Crafts heritage and the need for a bold, contemporary home. Gaule summarises: "It's a distinct departure, but it balances and enriches the original house".
