Moray Place 1

The pristine neo-classical square of Moray Place forms one of the most important elements of Edinburgh's World Heritage Site.

However, the houses have been subdivided and extended since the early 19th Century. This basement flat was dark and the agglomeration of rear extensions acted as a barrier to the garden and created awkward, leftover spaces, adjacent to the house.

The new structure lightly encloses the space between the out-buildings forming a covered space and open court in steel and glass. The garden elevation is composed of two large sliding windows delineated with fine - 25 mm wide - aluminium frames. Green Cumbrian slate flooring flows between the inside and outside spaces and French walnut joinery defines the internal spaces.

The sensitive architectural and historic site resulted in a protracted statutory process but with the support of the Planning Department achieved a design which they described as "simple and refined". The building brings light into the flat, connecting it to its garden, redefining the way the house operates and making it appropriate to modern living.

 
Architects: a+j burridge edinburgh
Structural Engineer: SKM.AnthonyHunts
Photography: Zoë Maxwell
Publications: Homes and Interiors Scotland issue no. 46