The proposal for low-energy house takes great care to accommodate the client’s programme on the site in such a way that the house sits comfortably within the context of the surrounding buildings.

The site is a fairly large, self-contained plot on the outskirts of Bunessan in the Ross of Mull, which afforded us the opportunity to propose a dwelling in the style of a villa set in grounds with outbuildings. Victorian villas are common to the outskirts of many of the settlements on Mull and in the wider Argyll area. Our design is a modern take on this pattern, with a grand window and entrance hall and references to traditional window groupings. The design avoids the use of a broad gable by dividing the mass into three bays that allow the elevation to maintain elegant proportions.

The house makes the most of the views and natural daylighting, sitting within a sunny private courtyard in an arrangement that makes a deliberate occupation of an existing arrangement of dry stone walls, creating a formal garden and parking area.

A high level of insulation, triple glazing, air source heat pump, and solar photovoltaics are utilised to deliver maximum A rated energy efficiency.

Photography: Isle of Mull Cottages