Page 137 - Homes & Interiors Scotland

ARCHITECTURE

TURNING

A CORNER

This radically designed extension has

brought a tired s bungalow back to life

Photography David Barbour Words Caroline Ednie

When Sarah and Chris Lawson

first began thinking about how to improve the space quality and flow of
their 1950s bungalow, the obvious solution seemed to be to add a box
off the living room. “And, in fact, following our initial discussions with
him, our architect Neil Taylor did come back to us with the idea of a
box,” says Sarah. “But he also presented us with a few other options –
one of which is what we have now.”
The couple and their two young children had been living in the
house, in the Edinburgh suburb of Joppa, for five years and knew that
extending the bungalow had the potential to markedly improve their
lives. “We were taken aback by how radical Neil’s design was – we’d been
thinking along much more conservative lines,” admits Sarah. “But what
a transformation it has made to our house and the way we live in it.”
The design may have looked radical, but to Neil Taylor of
Edinburgh-based practice T-A-P, it was the one that made the most
practical sense – it wasn’t just about its eloquent, elegant good looks that
are redolent of a contemporary campanile, or bell tower.
“The original bungalow was square-shaped in plan, but at some
point over the years a new wing was added to create an L-shape,” says the
architect. “This was used as the dining area, but in order to enter it from
the living space, you first had to go through a narrow, slightly contorted
galley kitchen. It was clear to all of us that there was a real disconnect
between the living and dining spaces.”
Creating a connection and improving the flow between the main
living areas was at the heart of the Lawsons’ brief. Alongside that, the
couple wanted a new kitchen within this open-plan space, as well as a
larger bathroom and a utility area. They also hoped that the house would
have a more meaningful relationship with the large back garden.

HOMES & INTERIORS SCOTLAND