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Hewing Place

Hewing Place


Extending A New-Build Home

This project is for my own home, my family and I have lived in this modest new-build house on the edge of Edinburgh for several years, and with three growing children we are starting to need additional bedroom space. The existing downstairs living space is compact, and because we enjoy cooking, increasing the size of the kitchen is a priority.

We are settled in the area, so rather than moving, we’re looking at how the house can be adapted to suit us better.

Although our house is a terraced new-build on a tight plot, the back garden is relatively generous. This means that we can extend at the rear without overdeveloping the site and, combined with an attic conversion, create the space we need whilst maximising the potential of the property.

The dormers required for the attic conversion will be clad in corrugated fibre cement cladding, to tie into the texture of the existing tiled roofscape. The generous aluminium clad windows and will ensure plenty of natural light in the bedrooms.

The new stair is carefully positioned to leave space for a desk on the first-floor landing, creating a quiet corner in a busy house for homework.

On the ground floor we will be able to reorganise the plan, creating a larger, more sociable kitchen and a bigger living space. Keeping the wc in the centre of the house means we will avoid expensive plumbing alterations.
1/2 Existing Plans
2/2 Proposed Plans


The rear extension will have large windows and a west facing rooflight to catch the afternoon sun and brighten the living space, even in the winter months.

Externally, the extension uses familiar materials such as brick and render. The large windows will be fabricated in timber, a natural finish to bring warmth to the interior and contrast to the plastic windows found elsewhere throughout the estate.

This project has been an opportunity to take a familiar problem and think carefully about how to unlock the potential of an everyday home. We have submitted a planning application and look forward to taking forward the technical design.