24 June 2022
Homes & Interiors Magazine
Our Blackford Road project is in Homes & Interiors Scotland this month.
Words by Caroline Ednie, photography by the brilliant @nannespringer
13 June 2022
Bathroom mock ups
Our clients made these cardboard WC and sink to mock up the space in a small bathroom…
10 June 2022
Bowhouse Food Production
We’ve been working as architect for Bowhouse in Fife, where the most recent Food Production units are complete and looking lovely in the summer sunshine.
9 June 2022
Cowstall barrier
We are always looking for opportunities to add value to projects through design. This simple barrier, to protect people coming out of Bowhouse farm buildings near where cars drive, could have been something boring and standard. With some design thought we referenced the old cowsheds in this farm steading and hopefully made something beautiful.
6 June 2022
RIAS Award 2022
We’re delighted to have won an RIAS Award for 2022. One of only 8 national awards for architecture.
And the BBC website information here:
2 June 2022
RIBAJ Burrell Review
RIBAJ Burrell Review 6 pages out this week
12 May 2022
RIBA Journal Burrell Review
Kieran was commissioned to write an artcle for the RIBA Journal on the Burrell Collection re-opening in May 2022.
LINK to the article (paywall)
5 May 2022
Award Nominations
Our Walled Garden project, 7 new houses set in leafy Trinity, Edinburgh for boutique developer MacKenzie Residential, has been shortlisted for three awards at The Scottish Home Awards 2022:
1. Innovation in Design
2. Small Development
3. Renovation of the Year
We’re really proud that our fabric first approach to retention of the existing buildings has been recognised as an innovative and sustainable approach to the climate crisis.
11 April 2022
Eco House alterations
There are scales of eco-friendly housing – this one is on the extremely eco end. Collaborating with www.alltenvironmental.com on this significant refurbishment, alteration and energy retrofit.
It is also a huge change aesthetically and we’re excited about both.
3 March 2022
RIAS RIBA Award Shortlisting
Really pleased that our Lockerbie Sawmill for James Jones and Sons has been recognised and shortlisted for an RIAS and RIBA Architecture Award 2022.
One of 14 Scottish projects by some great architects.
This project is very sustainable, built almost entirely in timber from the mill site, super insulated, with air source heating and sequestering at least 70tonnes of Carbon in the construction.
moe info on our project page
7 February 2022
Garden at Ravelston Dykes
Our house in Ravelston from 2016, bedding into its beautiful garden with planting design by Carolyn Grohman http://www.secretgardensdesign.co.uk/
10 December 2021
Charteris Centre
The Charteris Centre, a social enterprise hub in a former church on The Pleasanace, is nearly finished.
These photographs, copyright Woolver, graciously sent with some lovely feedback:
“I think it’s delicate and inspirational and apparently I can’t walk past it without taking a photo”.
(This to balance out less-nice comment on twitter.)
24 November 2021
Greyfriars Charteris
Cladding with pattern designed in collaboration with chalkplaster and signage going in at our Church conversion project in Edinburgh.
10 November 2021
Excroissance en combles
There is just something about the french langauge. A short video by french journalists on our Excroissance en combles (Outgrowth in attic according to google translate).
A Edimbourg, l’agrandissement d’une petite maison par les architectes Konishi et Gaffney occasionne une excroissance en toiture.
5 November 2021
EAA Awards 2021
Lockerbie Sawmill won the EAA Wood for Good Award 2021.
26 October 2021
Greyfrairs Charteris Centre reveal
Nearing completion. Architecture in Edinburgh.
6 October 2021
EAA Award Shortlist 2021
Lockerbie Sawmill has been shortlisted for an EAA Ambassador Award.
21 September 2021
Wood Awards shortlist
We’ve been shortlisted for the national Wood Awards! Up against some lovely buildings that we’ve admired from afar.
Clockwise from top right: Konishi Gaffney – Lockerbie Sawmill; Haverstock Architects – Guildford Council building, Niall McLaughlin – Magdalene College, Cambridge; De Matos Ryan – Nun Monkton, North Yorkshire
https://www.woodawards2021.online/shortlists
16 August 2021
‘Artistic’ Cladding to an Artist’s Studio in Edinburgh
We’re making an usual, small artist’s studio at the moment, still in progress but being carefully & beautifully made by a local artisan.
16 July 2021
Architecture Grand Prix
We are really proud to have been recognised in the 2021 Scottish Design Awards. We won in the commercial category and were awarded the Grand Prix for Architecture. A very exciting achievement and a huge honour.
Working with James Jones & Sons on their visitor building was a brilliant opportunity to showcase their materials and explore the possibilities of timber construction. We’d like to thank them for their trust in us; our consultant team for their expertise and the builder for their hard work and patience.
images by @dapplephotography
5 July 2021
RIBA Journal Article
The RIBA Journal have published a lovely article on our Sawmill in Lockerbie.
Words by David Reat, Photography by Dapple Photography
2 June 2021
Scottish Design Awards 2021
We’re pleased to have been shortlisted for the Scottish Design Awards 2021 for our office and visitor building for the UK’s largest sawmiller, James Jones & Sons, in Lockerbie.
More info here
9 March 2021
Walnut nosing detail
We are pleased to be working with craftsmen https://oldschoolfabrications.co.uk/ on a stair at Greyfriars Charteris Centre.
They’ve made up this sample stair detail for approval. And it’s a work of art.
11 February 2021
Seven houses in Trinity
We’ve been working for 18 months on this refurbishment and new build at a former care home in the Trinity area of Edinburgh.
The project for local developer building 3 new houses and forming an additional 4 homes fitted within the existing buildings; trying to maintain as much of the existing fabric as possible. This environmentally friendly scheme has super insulated fabric, solar panels, EV charging, sustainable drainage and integrated landscape design. It received planning permission last year, the warrant this week and is due to start on site next month.
Image by 3D Cad Visuals
Landscape Architecture: Emily Peel Yates
Structural Engineer: Gordon Eadie
M&E Engineer: Harley Haddow
Civil Engineering & Drainage: Etive
2 February 2021
Planning submitted for Covid Conversion.
Planning submitted for conversion of old garage to Covid Secure meeting room. Proposed elevation with simple timber cladding,full & half cut siberian larch cladding, pitched & zinc clad roof and externally insulated new office meeting room.
30 January 2021
Planning Granted
Planning granted for this house extension in Edinburgh. Steeply sloping site so lots of steps down internally to better connect the house to the garden.
3 December 2020
Construction progress in Lockerbie
Work is nearing completion at our office and training centre for James Jones & Sons, the UK’s largest swawmillers, in Lockerbie.
29 July 2020
Extension snagging
We’ve been on site looking at snagging work done to this extension to a Listed Building in The Grange, long delayed by C19 among other things.
21 July 2020
Construction, office extension
Lockerbie: scaffolding coming down this week to reveal our timber cladding with details for vents and black / natural Scottish Larch cladding milled in house by James Jones.
19 June 2020
SiOO:X finish to timber cladding
We are often asked about cladding finishes and protecting the wood. It is almost impossible to maintain the “orange” tone of wood externally as the sun bleaches the colour from wood (and almost every other material). In cities it is often difficult to prevent a dark grey staining caused by pollution. We have moved to recommending the SiOO:X finish to timber cladding – the image here showing the change that occurs between 1 month and 12 months.
The effect is best decribed as a form of bleaching, a natural whitewash, which protects the wood.
12 June 2020
Black Lives Matter
We’ve been searching for ways of adding our voice of support to the Black Lives Matter movement.
We have settled on this picture by Gordon Parks.
Gordon Parks was a black photographer who documented, among other things, the race protest movements in 50’s and 60’s in the US. Looking at these photos 60 years later reminds us of how little has changed. We support systemic change in the US, the UK and around the world.
Untitled, Harlem, New York, 1963
© The Gordon Parks Foundation.
22 May 2020
Covid-19 affected project has glass installed, 8 weeks late
Our clients in Portobello for this extension have finalled had their glass installed. They were caught at Coronavirus shutdown (with the glass due for delivery on the 25th March) and have had to be very patient.
They are however delighted and sent us this message:
“The photos don’t do it justice, I have to say it’s a thing of beauty, I absolutely love it. I quite can’t believe the difference the glass has made…
Thank you to you for designing such a beautiful room, I feel like I’m walking into a magazine every time I go down the stairs”
Obviously still work to do to complete the construction which we’re managing with the builder over the next few weeks.
9 April 2020
Planning for Cafe at Silecroft Beach
Our cafe and visitor centre on Silecroft beach in Cumbria has been submitted for planning.
local newspaper report:
17 March 2020
Covid-19 Statement
Konishi Gaffney have suspended work from their office for the time being.
We are working from home and can be contacted by e-mail as normal. Calls should be directed to Kieran in the first instance on 07817 102 319.
We remain committed to our clients; their projects and timelines so please be assured that we are working on through this crisis.
12 February 2020
Site progress at Lockerbie Timber Mill Office Extension
James Jones office extension, construction progress Feb 2020
4 February 2020
Architects Journal News
Competition win in Architects Journal today:
31 January 2020
Silecroft beach cafe competition win
Konishi Gaffney have won a national architectural competition for a new café on the beach at Silecroft in Cumbria and will be appointed to deliver the £380,000 building by spring 2021. The competition attracted 59 design team entrants from across the UK.
Silecroft beach is situated in the southwest corner of the Lake District National Park, is overlooked by Black Combe Fell to the north and gives spectacular views across the Irish Sea towards the Isle of Man.
Our design developed with two sheltered, canted courtyards, one facing Black Combe Fell and the other, the sea views which are are maximised through the splayed forms. The building will provide shelter from the blowing wind regardless of direction. We took pitched, slate roof vernacular of the Lake District and adapted this to make a modest addition to the beach context.
27 January 2020
RtoL Naomi, Kieran, Katherine, Adam
Team photo
As part of the #strongconstitution community hashtag for Constitution Street in Leith we had our photos taken by photographer Paul MaGuire @paulmaguireartist.
23 January 2020
RIAS Chartered Architects
Konishi Gaffney Architects are an RIAS Chartered Practice
6 January 2020
Shortlisted for Silecroft Beach Cafe competition
We have been shortlisted down to the last 3 for the Silecroft Beach Cafe competition in Cumbria, winner to be announced this week.
14 December 2019
Planning granted for innovative cladding
We received planning permission in The Grange, Edinburgh for this new “studio” room with timber cladding elevation over an existing garage.
21 November 2019
Work starts on site at Greyfriars Charteris Centre
Our largest project to date has started on site this week. Today is #SocialEnterpriseDay and contractors SJS have been appointed and started on Monday, getting set up and preparing work areas.
7 November 2019
RSA Architecture room
Our Greyfriars design on display at the RSA open exhibition 2-9th November.
6 November 2019
EAA Talk
Kieran gave a talk on the practice’s EAA award winning house extension at ESALA, the venue was this amazing former courtyard in the Art School.
29 October 2019
Schwarzbrotreihe, Stuttgart
We’ve been invited to talk about our work as part of Schwarzbrotreihe, at the Univeristy of Stuttgart tomorrow (30.10.2019).
Schwarzbrot translates as “daily bread” and the series (reihe) asks for architects to talk about one project; from concept to completion to “give an insight into the daily activities (the schwarzbrot) of an architect”.
17 September 2019
Greyfriars Charteris Centre
Our church conversion and extension on The Pleasance, won in competition in 2017, is due to start on site in the next week or so (just waiting for final building warrant sign off).
5 August 2019
RIBA Journal review
Kieran was asked to write a review of the new Hill House Box in Helensborough.
Full article on RIBA Journal website.
22 July 2019
Brick extension in Colinton, Edinburgh nearing completion
This is an extension and house alteration using hand made Dutch bricks. In-progress site photo.
21 June 2019
The Times, Bricks & Mortar cover
Our cottage near Crinan is on the front cover of the Times Bricks & Mortar section.
The article is about Statement Cottages by Gabriella Bennett @palebackwriter
7 June 2019
Murrayfield terrace house extension
Photos back today from the brilliant Nanne Springer
5 June 2019
Foundations prepared at Lockerbie
We’re working for a large UK sawmiller in Lockerbie; building a new office and reception building on their main timber processing site. Work started in May and our first site visit was today.
3 June 2019
Constitution Street office
Our office at 88 Constitution Street, Edinburgh.
23 May 2019
Tigh Na Geat
This house extension and remodelling is to a house called Tigh Na Geat which means “House under the Hill” in Gaelic. This construction photo shows why it’s called that.
23 May 2019
2019 EAA Awards Winner
We are really proud to have won the 2019 EAA Award for small projects at a ceremony at St Celia’s Hall last night. Some excellent other projects in contention for this architectural award so we are all pleased to have won.
Many thanks to our wonderful clients Ken & Gemma Gray.
Builders: Watson & Lyall Ltd
Engineer: WMA
photographer: Nanne Springer
9 May 2019
Planning permission granted
We received planning permission for a radical rethink of a terraced house in Portobello – dropping the existing garden room down by 1.2m to get better access to the garden.
Architect Edinburgh
Architects Edinburgh
17 April 2019
Awards Shortlist
We’re pleased to have had two projects shortlisted for the EAA Small Projects architectural award. (Our favourite award).
Blackford Road
Jessfield Terrace
More info on the EAA Awards here: www.eaa.org.uk
27 March 2019
Delicacy and restraint guide this Edinburgh practice
The RIBA Journal picked us as one of 6 architects outside London to write about as “future winners”.
The article is really well written and insightful, available in full here (though possibly behind paywall): https://www.ribaj.com/
21 February 2019
12 Jessfield Terrace drawings
Drawings of our extension at 12 Jessfield Terrace, submitted for an RIAS architecture award,
15 February 2019
12 years to limit climate change catastrophe
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported in 2018 that the world has until 2030 to act to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees C. We all need to change and to press our governments to do so too. Architects have an added responsibility as emissions from buildings accounts for 37% of total UK greenhouse gas. We continue to advocate for maximum insulation, for sustainable energy products (we’re particularly in favour of ground source heat pumps combined with solar photo voltaics) and we no longer support the installation of wood burning stoves.
Individually Makiko and Kieran have stopped eating meat, drinking milk and now drive a plug-in hybrid electric car.
7 February 2019
Slating started at our Mayfield house
Slating starts at our house on East Mayfield in Edinburgh.
31 January 2019
Planning Appeal Granted (another one)
One of our projects for a listed building in the Grange was refused listed building consent (but did receive planning permission) in 2018 in a decision many found incomprehensible. The client appealed and this week won that appeal with the reporter’s comments feeling like vindication for our design approach:
“Whilst the proposal is clearly a modern intervention, I consider that the appellant’s architects have sought to ensure to that it does not jar with the listed building whilst avoiding pastiche design solutions. The eaves height of the proposed extension lines up with the eaves of the conservatory and the roof on the east side of the conservatory and I consider that this provides a balance to the south elevation when viewed from the garden area. The use of stained charcoal cedar cladding ties in with the dark stained sandstone which is a feature of the building and, similarly, with the existing dark timber eaves and finials. I therefore consider that the proposals provide a positive relationship with other
parts of the building.”
31 January 2019
Building Review for RIBA Journal
Kieran (with editing help from Adam) was commissioned by the RIBA Journal to write a review of the Bayes Centre at Edinburgh University by architects Bennetts Associates. Published today HERE
“The phase 1 Infomatics building is cellular with rooms off corridors; in the new building these dissolve into wider circulation that in turn washes out into the atrium and open plan work spaces.”
Image copyright Keith Hunter
18 January 2019
Drawings of our Blackford Road project
Axonometric of our Blackford Road extension added to the project pages.
3 December 2018
Work with photographer Nanne Springer
We’ve been working with Nanne Springer, a fantastic photographer from Germany but living in Canada, on several projects and are delighted with the results. One project at Blackford Road in The Grange and the other at Jessfield Terrace in sunny Leith.
30 November 2018
Planning Appeal Granted
A decision by Edinburgh City Council planning department to refuse planning for a listed building in the Grange, Edinburgh has been appealed and we won! The decision was reviewed by the council’s own in-house team who have found in our favour and granted planning permission, the Scottish planning inspectorate reviewed the Listed Building Consent application and we won that too. Shouldn’t have been a contentious proposal in the first place!
We have 100% success rate in appeals, 3 for 3.
31 October 2018
The Times: advice on insulating listed properties
Kieran contributed to the The Times, Bricks & Mortar article on insulating your listed building.
19 October 2018
Pollokshaws Road
Steam bent oak extension…
2 October 2018
Site model Holmehill, Dunblane
We’ve been working on a site in Dunblane called Holmehill thinking about the landscape and scope for garden and buildings.
Contoured plywood site model at 1:300 made by twadugs modelmakers
14 September 2018
RIBA Chartered Practice
Konishi Gaffney are an RIBA Chartered Practice.
5 September 2018
Blackford extension nearing completion
This small timber and zinc clad extension in the Grange area of Edinburgh is nearing completion: clients move in at the weekend.
8 August 2018
Model drawing 1:350
We’ve been working on a village site looking at the development of a garden… more to follow.
This drawing a layout for model at 1 to 350.
26 June 2018
Architecture 18
Homes & Interiors have produced a magazine with some of our projects included.
14 June 2018
New House planning granted
We’ve had planning granted for a new build house in a rear garden in the Colinton Area of Edinburgh.
2 May 2018
Greyfriars Charteris Centre
Planning application submitted today for Greyfriars Charteris Centre on The Pleasance in Edinburgh.
This project named after The Very Reverend Professor Archibald H Charteris:
“It is they who dream bright dreams that in the end deliver. Do not be afraid or ashamed to announce splendid hopes. It is enthusiasts the world needs and I pray you to be enthusiastic!”
28 April 2018
Site progress in mid Argyll
Good progress on our extension & refurbishment to this C-Listed cottage near Crinan.
25 April 2018
Greyfriars Charteris Centre Model
Model in progress looking at new elements in alteration to church on The Pleasanace in Edinburgh.
23 April 2018
Portobello design charette
Konishi Gaffney were invited to lead a team of designers and landscape specialists looking at alternative designs for Westbank Street in Portobello. Our proposals were for a mix of residential, office, arts spaces and leisure facilities. The local community are advocating for a mixed use on site rather than a commercial housing solution. The results were produced over one weekend in March 2018.
15 March 2018
Planning Application for new house
We have just submitted this planning application for a new, fully accessible house in the Colinton area of Edinburgh.
22 February 2018
Site progress in Murrayfield & Leith
Two project site visits this week, one 30% complete the other 90% with the high tech super thin framed doors installed.
30 January 2018
New project complete
Photographs by our very own Ivan Fraile Gisbert of a recently completed project on a steep hill in West Edinburgh.
17 January 2018
Welcome to Dana and Helena
Two new members of staff, Dana and Helena start work making two laser cut models to develop the design for two projects in Edinburgh.
15 January 2018
2018
Happy New Year to all our clients and supporters!
2 December 2017
Competition win to revamp former Edinburgh church
Konishi Gaffney Architects has won an invited competition to rework a former church in Edinburgh – the current home of the Greyfriars Charteris Centre. We saw off a strong shortlist to win the job which includes a new build three storey link building and major alterations to the existing church.
27 November 2017
Dundee Institute of Architects Commendation
We were pleased to have been commended in the DIA awards 2017 for our project for studio / office spaces at Comielaw steading.
24 November 2017
Crinan cottage
Construction work has begun on a cottage near Crinan in Mid Argyll. We’re demolishing an existing conservatory, shown here, and forming a new extension behind with exposed trusses and a metal sinusoidal roof.
9 November 2017
Homes & Interiors Scotland
November | December issue
Beauty and the East! Words by Caroline Ednie. Photography by David Barbour
26 October 2017
RIBA Journal
Kieran wrote a review article for the RIBA Journal on a new house by Ann Nisbet in Ayrshire.
link to RIBAJournal
13 October 2017
Home, Housing Scotland 2000-2020
Third book in three weeks, this time the expensively assembled Home, Housing Scotland 2000-2020.
It is interesting as an overview of award winning houses in Scotland in the 21st Century.
We have two projects included.
29 September 2017
Bowhouse, Fife
Bowhouse in Fife is open for business.
Our steading / farm sheds conversaion is partially open with food producers taking space and a monthly farmers market installed in-situ. Last weekend saw a number of local suppliers selling food from coffee to honey and steaks to beer. Yum.
Phase 2 is underway and our major architectural intervention in detail design.
28 September 2017
The Modern Timber House
We’re pleased to be included in a new book on Contemporary Timber Architecture in the UK by Peter Wilson and Wood for Good.
Architect Scotland
22 September 2017
Ravelston Dykes Lane #DOD2017 handout
Our hand out information sheet for the Edinburgh Doors Open day 2017, this house which won teh EAA 2017 small projects award is featured. http://www.cockburnassociation.org.uk/edinburgh-doors-open-day/
22 September 2017
Edinburgh Doors Open Day 2017
Our wonderful clients at 2 Ravelston Dykes Lane are opening up their house for doors open day 2017, this weekend. The house is open on Sunday 24th September from 10am – 4pm.
We’ll be there too showing people around.
21 August 2017
Beautiful House Magazine
Published in House Beautiful, September 2017
9 August 2017
RIAS 100 Best Houses in Scotland book
We’re pleased to have had two houses selected by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland for a new book on the best architect houses in Scotland since 2000.
31 July 2017
Japan research trip
Kieran and Makiko spent 3 and 4 weeks respectively in Japan this summer, there for a family gathering and followed up with trips to see buildings. Kieran stayed in a Buddhist temple in Koyasan as well as re-visiting Naoshima to see Tadao Ando’s work and new buildings by Satoichi Sambuichi.
29 June 2017
House extension in the garden
This unusual extension in the garden of a large Georgian House in The Grange was approved for planning. Housing a kitchen / living / dining and study.
29 June 2017
Planning Permission Approved
Planning permission was granted today for this extension and internal alterations to a small Victorian terraced cottage in Edinburgh.
21 June 2017
Saltire commendation
Our project at Ravelston Dykes Lane won a commendation from the Saltire Society’s Housing Design Awards.
19 June 2017
Steam Bent Timber Cladding
We’ve taken on the role of steam bent timber cladding sub-contractor as we could ony find a couple of furniture / boat making companies prepared to take on the role and they were naturally quite expensive for such a specialist task. We researched the process, built our own steam box and jig and spent 6 days on site bending and cladding this little side extension.
We believe that architects who are hands-on in the process of construction are better designers for it so this suited us and we enjoyed getting a tan in sunny Glasgow.
This is classed as technical research.
1 June 2017
“On Office Magazine” June 2017
Our Comielaw project is published in the June 2017 edition of On Office magazine.
2 May 2017
A visit from the Scottish First Minister
The Scottish First Minister visited our office today. I talked to her about our 3 main concerns:
1. Building Control in Scotland: 3-4 month delay on every project, stiffles innovation, beaurocratic. Should be privatised out of local council’s hands as is done in the English building control system.
2. Procurement – impossible for small practices like ours to get public work.
3. VAT is payable at 20% on alterations and 0% on new builds: unfair & encourages unsustainable development.
19 April 2017
2017 Edinburgh Architecture Association award
Konishi Gaffney won the 2017 Edinburgh Architecture Association award for best building under £500,000 and were shortlisted in a further two categories.
Link to the award winners announcement.
13 March 2017
EAA shortlists
We are delighted to have been shortlisted for 3 projects in 3 different categories by the EAA in the Small Projects, Wood Award and Ambassador categories.
Link to the 2017 awards shortlist.
18 January 2017
Talk at University of Dundee
Kieran is talking at the University of Dundee on Thursday 19th January.
19 November 2016
Princes Square
Article in “The Times” today asked for my opinion on a public vote which saw Princes Square in Glasgow voted the best Scottish building in the last 100 years.
10 November 2016
Creative Edinburgh “City Award”
We have been shortlisted for a Creative Edinburgh “City Award” looking for an “outstanding creative contribution” to the city of Edinburgh. Up against “Jupiter Artland” and “local Heroes” in this “Oscars of the creative industry”. Winner announced at awards ceremony this evening.
1 November 2016
Argyle Crescent
Photoshoot for extension in Argyle Crescent.
21 September 2016
Shopfront
Barbara Elliot, who was passing, took this photo of our shopfront (*thanks).
Makiko folded these forms from scrap A3 drawings.
1 September 2016
Comielaw Steading conversion
Planner visit to review Comielaw Steading conversion in Fife: 12 new business units in Grade B listed steading with black timber clad replacement shed.
22 August 2016
Desk space available to rent
Desk space available to rent. In large west facing studio, part of our office. Wall of windows (albeit overshadowed), timber stained floors and white painted walls. Flexible on use but would suit creative types… Shared used of kitchen / toilets etc. Wifi, heating & electricity and rates etc. all included in rent.
19 August 2016
Scottish Field Magazine Edinburgh
Article in Scottish Field Magazine Edinburgh on our Japanese House.
20 June 2016
Festival of Architecture 2016 opening
Our Edinburgh Pop-Up Pavilion, part of the Cities Expo and the Festival of Architecture 2016 opened last night on the Mound. Otherworldy photograph of Makiko and Kieran inside by Malcolm Cochrane.
1 June 2016
Pavilion progress
More progress on fabrication of the Edinburgh Pop-Up Pavilion.
13 May 2016
Edinburgh Pop-Up Pavilion progress
Progress on fabrication of the Edinburgh Pop-Up Pavilion.
13 May 2016
Edinburgh Pavilion
We are deighted to report that we won the competition to design the Edinburgh Pavilion for the Pop Up Cities Expo being held in Edinburgh over the summer this year. Part of the 2016 Festival of Architecture programme. More information here.
29 April 2016
Article by Robert Urquhart
Very well written article by Archinect journalist Robert Urquhart.
Link to the full article with pictures.
20 April 2016
Blue skies
Amazingly blue skies as this Edinburgh house nears completion.
11 April 2016
Vegan Life magazine
KGA in Vegan Life magazine. Thought only architects used words like haptic.
24 March 2016
EAA small projects Award
We’ve been shortlisted for the 2016 EAA small projects Award.
22 March 2016
Progress
On site nearing completion.
10 March 2016
Baba Budan update
Sculpture installed at coffee shop fit out.
5 February 2016
KGA shortlist
KGA shortlisted for the prestigious Architect’s Journal small projects award.
Link to AJ article (paywall).
1 February 2016
Baba Budan
Sculpture in progress as part of a coffee shop fitout, Edinburgh.
25 January 2016
Tall extension
We have gone out to tender on this tall extension. Sketch by work experience student Haruka Kitamura.
25 January 2016
EAA small projects award 2016
Submisison for EAA small projects award 2016.
19 January 2016
Ravelston progress
Progress on new house at Ravelston in Edinburgh. Eco credentials include ground source heat pump, 200mm external insulation and integrated solar panels.
2 December 2015
Maquette
Maquette at 1:4 for coffee shop interior and furniture made by Johannes Sailer.
23 November 2015
Site visit
Site visit to rural fife, lovely pink wheelbarrows.
18 November 2015
Planning permission
We just received planning permission for this house in Wandsworth.
5 November 2015
New office
Our new office is taking shape – should be complete next week. If anyone is looking for desk space we have some available.
22 October 2015
Ravelston progress
Work is progressing on our new house in Ravelston, Edinburgh. The roof has a scissor truss and whitewashed ceiling; the windows a super horizontal proportion.
5 September 2015
New projects
Uploaded 4 recently photographed projects to this website:
21 August 2015
Wood stain
Example of wood stain before and after and the lovely joinery in a Grade A listed house in Edinburgh’s New Town.
17 June 2015
RIAS award
Konishi Gaffney won a prestigious RIAS award for our Regent Street Dormer.
13 May 2015
House in Ravelston
Work starts on our house in the Ravelston area of Edinburgh. The idea was to connect front and rear gardens with a Japanese sense of space.
2 April 2015
Open roof
Open roof design for a house extension near our office in Leith.
30 March 2015
RIAS/RIBA architecture award shortlist
Konishi Gaffney have been shortlisted for an RIAS/RIBA architecture award 2015. Available on the AJ website [paywall].
News also published on Dezeen.
27 March 2015
Extension in Portobello
Almost finished on this little extension in Portobello.
23 March 2015
Zinc roof
Work in progress on zinc roof in Edinburgh with specialist rooflight (the white covering sheets will come off soon).
13 March 2015
Work in progress
Work in progress on extension in The Grange, Edinburgh.
27 February 2015
Scottish Borders
New house and steading conversion site in the Scottish Borders.
11 February 2015
Roof structure
Roof structure (which will be exposed) in the morning light.
5 February 2015
Peebles
We’re radically altering a 1970’s house in Peebles in the Scottish Borders. Self-builder installed the windows yesterday. Starting in spring we’re insulating and over cladding in larch.
5 January 2015
RSA Open Exhibition
Our model in the RSA Open Exhibition which runs until 20th January 2015.
19 November 2014
3 favourite specifications
The venerable RIBA Journal asked us to share our 3 favourite specifications.
31 October 2014
External insulation
External insulation to an old Victorian cottage. Planning to do more of this: an easy and efficient way to insulate existing buildings. Here we have a further counter batten and more insulation to go on top.
30 October 2014
Picture window
Extension with a big picture window starts to take shape.
23 October 2014
Construction
I tend to like buildings in construction as much as when finished. Here green pressure treated battens and light from the roof.
12 September 2014
Skylight
We currently have 4 projects in various stages of construction. This one in the Grange area of Edinburgh topping out next week with a huge skylight.
11 September 2014
Sandblasted timber
We are sandblasting larch cladding to raise the grain on a small house extension in Edinburgh, then washing the cladding black. It’s very exciting.
4 July 2014
Detail
German architecture magazine Detail, publishes our Dormer project over 4 pages. That is definitely a career goal achieved!
29 May 2014
Grand Designs
25 April 2014
Galashields
We’ve been very busy recently working on some exciting projects. This one a house in Galashields in the Scottish Borders on a very steep site.
13 April 2014
Sunday Times Home Magazine
We had some good press recently. The Sunday Times found us to be in the top 10 “architect provocateurs” in the UK. Especially good as 8 of the 10 were London based and we were the only practice from Scotland.
5 March 2014
EAA small projects award shortlist
We’ve been shortlisted for an EAA small projects award for this garden office & house alteration in Portobello in Edinburgh. We are currently working as Architects in Fife.
14 February 2014
AJ small projects award shortlist
We’ve been shortlisted for the prestigious AJ small projects award [and on valentines day, can’t you feel the love?].
12 February 2014
New offices
Konishi Gaffney are moving to our own new and bigger offices [17th Century former thatched cottage].
132 Constitution Street, Edinburgh, EH6 6AJ.
All other contact details remaining the same.
5 February 2014
Maquette
Makiko’s maquette for folding furniture at 1:15.
28 January 2014
EAA small projects award submissions
Rosefield and Regent St Dormer projects submitted for the EAA small projects award.
17 January 2014
Regent Street dormer
Our Regent Street dormer in the Architect’s Journal Building Library. Link (but may require a login).
17 January 2014
Village Hall, Heriot
We are very pleased to have been invited along with 5 other (bigger and longer established) pratices to submit design ideas in a design competition for the reburbishment and extension of the Village Hall in Heriot, Scottish Borders.
9 January 2014
Euan Gray
Welcome to our new employee, Euan Gray, a brilliant young architect aiming to get his part III with us. Euan’s career has been varied & hands on including this yoga studio (pictured above) which he designed and self built as owner of the wildhutte design company.
Euan’s experience and personal research into hutting ties in with our interests and I hope Euan will push on our research in that field.
Euan’s pechakucha about hutting in February 2012.
Konishi Gaffney are Award Winning Edinburgh Architects also working in The Scottish Borders, Fife & East Lothian.
9 December 2013
Warming Hut project video
Video of Kieran talking at the RSA about our Warming Hut project [start at 3:53] .
23 November 2013
Site visit
Site visit to Galasheils this weekend; exciting site with huge slope.
17 November 2013
Strawberry string
“Strawberry string” maqutte for warming huts finished and delivered to the RSA. Our 2nd submission, Above Scotland exhibition table, also included.
7 November 2013
St Andrews
Last site visit to listed building alteration project for which we were the architect; St Andrews in the Kingdom of Fife.
1 November 2013
Planning approval
We achieved planning approval this week for this little barrel-vaulted extension.
24 October 2013
Talk at 57°10
Kieran is giving a talk at 57°10 the student run architecture lecture series at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Thursday 24th at 5pm.
15 October 2013
Design model
Working on design model for extension to listed building in Edinburgh.
18 September 2013
Toddlers Hut
Toddlers Hut project featured in News Section of Dutch Architecture Magazine A10. Sept/Oct 2013.
13 September 2013
Friday 13th
Friday 13th wasn’t inauspicious for us as our cantilever steel balcony & stair clicked into place like a dream. Site install in St Andrews, Kingdom of Fife led by Johannes Sailer included Kieran + client!
4 July 2013
Christian Kerez
Busy month: trip to Tokyo including visiting this Exhibition of work by Christian Kerez. A repeat of his Venice Biennale exhibition of 2012.
24 June 2013
House alterations
House alterations with home office in garden, Portobello, Edinburgh.
2 June 2013
Grand Designs
Published in Grand Designs magazine.
31 May 2013
Architecture competition shortlist
We’ve been shortlisted for an art/architecture competition. Site & brief not public yet but looking forward to ongoing collaboration with johannessailer.com.
27 May 2013
Cinematic view
Zinc clad dormer extension nearing completion.
Picture window looks like cinema.
24 May 2013
Royal Scottish Academy summer show
Royal Scottish Academy summer show opens tonight on the Mound in Edinburgh. Our three plaster maquettes in situ as of yesterday.
17 May 2013
Danish brick
Pre-application planning submission for a potentially contentious, long, low extension clad in that lovely Danish brick we’ve been trying to use for ages… drawing by Rebecca.
11 May 2013
Royal Scottish Academy show
Our submission for the Royal Scottish Academy show 25th May – 2nd July 2013.
28 April 2013
Kingdom of Fife
Site visit yesterday looking at a farm steading in the Kingdom of Fife with some lovely old buildings. We are architect leading the design team.
18 April 2013
Book of work
We just got back from the printers our first little book of work.
7 March 2013
Regent St. dormer
Started on site on an unusual long thin dormer in Portobello. Today we saw view from the top for the first time (imagine a lovely summer’s evening).
6 March 2013
Toddlers Hut panning approval
Building design magazine publish news of our Toddlers Hut panning approval.
28 February 2013
Top 10 UK Architects! [who tweet]
Konishi Gaffney = top 10 UK Architects! [who tweet].
In Building Design Magazine (link behind paywall).
![top 10 UK Architects! [who tweet]](https://www.konishigaffney.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/top10tweets.jpg)
13 February 2013
Unhappy Hipsters
Our house (and family) included in Unhappy Hipsters website: a dry critique of contemporary lifestyle photography and design (which we love!).
29 January 2013
Award submission
Edinburgh Architcture Association Awards submission today.
23 January 2013
Scottish independence
The Architects Journal invited us to write a short piece on likely impact of independence on Scottish Architects.
And in same edition of the magazine comment on potential closing of Strathclyde University Architecture building.
16 January 2013
Top Architects
Konishi Gaffney included in list of “Top Architects” in Scotland for 2013. We were pleased & surprised to be named in 11th place making us the top small practice in Edinburgh and the youngest practice in the top 20. Full article here.
2 January 2013
Tokyo
2011 natural play in Tokyo.
21 December 2012
Work in progress
Glass goes in and last minute work on tiling and exterior rendering.
16 December 2012
Architecture Scotland Annual
Our Trinity House project published in the Architecture Scotland Annual.
13 December 2012
Christmas cards
Our Christmas cards went this week. Lots of research and testing by Makiko. We are using these folding techniques to design a garden office and a chicken coop.
12 December 2012
Work in progress
Construction progresses at B-listed house in Portobello.
6 December 2012
Model tests
Model tests for Papa Westry Bonfire architecture competition.
23 November 2012
The Toddlers Hut model
The Toddlers Hut model at the Royal Scottish Academy of Arts & Architecture. We had two works selected for the RSA open exhibition which runs from Nov 24th – Dec 16th, RSA on the Mound, Edinburgh. Photos by Eileen Hall.
15 November 2012
The Toddlers Hut update
The Toddlers Hut not-for-profit playgroup on the beach in Portobello goes in for planning.
6 November 2012
Edinburgh University Students Architecture Society talk
Makiko and Kieran have been invited by Edinburgh University Students Architecture Society to talk at Edinburgh University. Friday 9th November at 6:30pm.
25 October 2012
Above Scotland images
First images of the exhibition “Above Scotland” we designed at the Lighthouse in Glasgow for RCHAMS and A+DS.
Images by Eileen Hall.
24 October 2012
Above Scotland private view
Private view tomorrow for the Above Scotland Exhibition at the Lighthouse in Glasgow.
22 October 2012
Day one: installation:
We designed and fabricated 25 bespoke steel tables, each with a magnifying lens lamp, for an exhibition at the Lighthouse in Glasgow.
19 October 2012
Above Scotland
Above Scotland, exhibition at the Lighthouse in Glasgow, invitation.
21 September 2012
Portobello High School community consultation
Participated in Portobello High School community consultation. Thoroughly unsatisfactory meeting. However… We were table #3. Our conclusions drawn on page above (click to enlarge) but just to summarise:
- Investigate if Portobello Park is Common Good Land (probably not seems to be consensus).
- If it is enact a Private Act of Parliament to allow building here (as at National Galleries in Princess St Gardens.
- Appeal to supreme court.
1A. IN PARALLEL with the above Council should start feasibility into option 2 site.
NB our table also concluded following:
- No to community referendum as that would “polarise opinion” and distract from the issue.
- No to existing school site – too small and de-cant not plausible.
- No to any site outwith the catchment area of the school.
- Walking to school is the best option!
14 September 2012
Origami flyer
Origami flyer of our recently finished Trinity Project.
12 September 2012
Edinburgh Napier University talk
Makiko is talking at Edinburgh Napier University today about her background and route into design.
23 August 2012
Pecha Kucha
Makiko and Kieran are talking about their competition winning scheme for Killcreggan.
17 August 2012
Steel table
Made by artist & steel fabricator Johannes Sailer our steel table for an exhibition in October.
20 July 2012
V&A Dundee talk
Talk by Kieran at the V&A Dundee in May 2012, introduction by Philip Long.
Video by Phil Richardson, University of Dundee. Thanks to the V&A Dundee.
25 June 2012
Architecture and Interior
Kieran presented some of the practice’s work in Brighton.
Image copyright and thanks to Jim Stephenson.
22 June 2012
Creative responses to unused space
Kieran has been invited by RIBA Sussex to talk in Brighton on the theme of “creative responses to unused space” part of LoveArchitecture.org.
20 June 2012
Sustainable design interview
Philips Lighting publish interview with Kieran on Sustainable design.
28 May 2012
Inspirational Designs agenda
Scottish Government publish our Japanese House as part of their Inspirational Designs agenda.
28 May 2012
Peabody exhibition
Exhibition at New London Architecture. Image copyright and thanks to Agnese Sanvito.
23 May 2012
Planning application
New planning application today for this extension to listed building.
19 May 2012
Site Specific
Kieran presented the practice’s work at the V&A in Dundee under the theme “Site Specific”. Link to video to follow.
17 May 2012
Peabody brochure
We didn’t win.
Published in the peabody brochure for shortlisted schemes and exhibited at New London Architecture.
8 May 2012
Peabody Housing Competition
We have been shortlisted for the Peabody Housing Competition in East London.
Winners announced on 17th May | Exhibition opens on the 9th May at New London Architecture.
3 May 2012
Design development model
Design development model in progress for house extension, Edinburgh.
2 May 2012
Grand Designs Magazine
The Japanese House, Edinburgh featured in the special 100th anniversary edition of Grand Designs Magazine. Eight page article by Jill MacNair with photographs by Ben Anders.
12 April 2012
V&A
KGA are proud to announce that the V&A has invited us together with DO Architecture from Glasgow and Kennedy Twaddle from London / Dundee to give the V&A at Dundee‘s annual keynote address. Part of the Ignite Festival in Dundee on 19th May. The 2011 lecture was given by Kengo Kuma.
10 April 2012
Competitions
We were invited to submit a proposal for a 5000m2 office building in Geneva. The site was complicated with a North frontage and surrounded by a mix of housing, office and light industrial buildings. Our proposal was to make a deep timber frame with a mix of timber and glass infill to soften the building. This image by the fantastic Jonathan Knox of Pixogram.
Special thanks to new employee Frazer Haviz who has been working hard on these competitions.
28 March 2012
Peckham Charrette issue
The Architects Journal publish their Peckham Charrette issue. Konishi Gaffney invited and led one of the six architect / lighting teams.
28 March 2012
Design Day
We were invited by Philips Lighting and The Architects Journal to a design charette on Peckham in London. Marianne and Kieran attended from the studio.
26 March 2012
Inspirational Designs
Scottish government publishes our Bath Street and Japanese House projects in their new exemplar pages entitled Inspirational Designs.
26 March 2012
Urban Realm Architecture Scotland Annual 2011
Just been sent a copy of the Urban Realm Architecture Scotland Annual 2011 with our Bath Street project.
16 March 2012
Black Isle design exercise
How do you place a modern extension onto an asymmetric 1970’s house?
Our answer was to ignore that problem and solve a different problem: How to give more height to the ground floor extension when there is a flat roof balcony 2.5m above…
I like our solution (the steps point at the amazing view) and this was done in 6 hours proving we can tailor our services to your requirements!
13 March 2012
Toddler Hut project
Consultation photographs from our Toddler Hut project.
1 March 2012
Architects Journal
Architects Journal news article on the Peckham Rye Lane Urban Design charette. Online version in the Architects Journal (subscription may be required)
17 February 2012
Architects Journal
KGA were invited by the Architects Journal as one of six architects & lighting designers to work on the Peckham Rye Lane Urban Design charette. The event (on 23rd February) was sponsored by Philips Lighting who also invited us to Eindhoven to see their R&D factory and new products.
Article in the Architects Journal (subscription may be required). Photo by Merlin Fulcher.
16 February 2012
Trinity extension photography
Pictures of our Trinity project back from the photographer.
15 February 2012
No.1 Magazine
Published in the fabulous No.1 Magazine.
2 February 2012
Toddler Hut model
Toddler Hut model images added to project page and article in the Scotsman on Toddler Hut consultations.
2 February 2012
Toddler Hut
Toddler Hut public consultation tomorrow afternoon at the local library.
26 January 2012
Photography day
Photography day with Alan Craigie of our recently completed projects at Trinity and Willowbrae in Edinburgh. (This one an i-phone pic of mine, not the real thing!)
24 January 2012
We love plastecine!
In progress 1:300 site model by Sheffield architecture school graduates Rafaela and Josh.
13 January 2012
Recent drawings
7 January 2012
K is for…
We make the list (only architect) in Scotland’s The Herald 2012 press review of year called “Who’s Hot & What’s Happening”. Many thanks to Module Architects for alerting us to the fact.
8 December 2011
Wallpaper* magazine
Wallpaper* magazine publish picture of Makiko & Kieran with 4 other practices in the Architecture Gallery at the V&A with short article about projects.
7 December 2011
Kitchen / dining / living alterations
Work nears completion on this small project for kitchen / dining / living alterations.
2 December 2011
Sketch design
Sketch design work on a small house alterations project.
28 November 2011
Pepakura
Working on some iterations of form for a small children’s nursery using the fantastic Pepakura designer which allows you to make very quick paper models from 3D computer models.
23 November 2011
Saltire Housing Award commendation
Konishi Gaffney Architects won a prestigious Saltire Housing Award commendation for the Bath Street Window project.
The Saltire Awards are 75 years old and the most prestigious awards in Scotland. We are delighted to have won having been shortlisted for the Japanese House in 2010. Congratulations to the builder Watson & Lyall who were there to pick up the award and the structural engineer Tall Engineers.
15 November 2011
Minka
Kieran is introducing Minka a short documentary by Davina Pardo of Birldings Films at the Edinburgh Architecture Association on Wednesday 30th November 2011.
11 November 2011
Willowbrae update
Progress on our project in Willowbrae, Edinburgh. Here new steel beams are encased in plasterboard to give short fire resistance.
7 November 2011
Greenhill Place
Photographer Alan Craigie took some great pictures of our Greenhill Place kitchen doors, nicknamed Alice in Wonderland doors as the scale of the opening is so large.
28 October 2011
Letter of the week
Kieran wrote to the AJ about the Doolan RIAS best building in Scotland Prize and was published as letter of the week. We are looking forward to an honorary AJ china mug in the post!
26 October 2011
Ceramic tile
We spent two week in France over the summer with our friend Frances Doherty, she “encourgaed” me into making a ceramic tile (all her guests do) and has now posted it on her pottery blog. Mine is a maquette of the entry sequence to our Fermanagh house.
Frances makes incredible ceramic sculptures (see her blue bells for example) which are a hand made version of biomimicry | parametricism. The sculptural repetition has an architectural power that I am trying to find a way of using on a building scale.
24 October 2011
Sutherland visit
Just back from an extraordinary week visiting Sutherland (the far North West of Scotland) we had never been before and were overawed by the landscape. Really want to work in this area – so if you have a project let us know!
16 September 2011
Canted House
Working up presentation drawings of our Canted House. Project listing to follow.
13 September 2011
Timber clad extension
Planning application for small, affordable timber clad extension and alterations to this existing house in Portobello goes in.
2 September 2011
Green hill doors
This project is a very simple design solution – a set of 3m high doors for a kitchen, out the garden. One thinner door opens in, the other larger door opens out.
The Client loves it and claims it has radically changed their house and how they live, which is why I love domestic architecture; small changes can make a disproportionate difference.
31 August 2011
TV interview
Interview on local TV station, URTV, about the Kilcreggan Competion win.
30 August 2011
Saltire Housing Design Awards
The 2011 Saltire Housing Design Awards shortlist was announced today. Our £25K Bath Street Window is up against strong competition so we’re not holding our breath…Nice to be recognised though after our Japanese House made the 2010 shortlist.
22 August 2011
Kilcreggan – a future for rural communities
Konishi Gaffney architects presented on Saturday evening to the community and 6 judges in Kilcreggan village hall, we had expected 15-20 people so were pleased and surprised to see a packed hall. We were very pleased to have won from a large number of entrants (the shortlist was 6 from 56) and look forward to working with a very intelligent (and forthright) community lead by the Rosneath Peninsula West Community Development Trust.
This image of proposed beach and pool in the bay, located on the Highland boundary fault line.
Thanks to the Glasgow Institute of Architects for a very well run competition. Full results here.
11 August 2011
Kilcreggan – a future for rural communities
Shortlisted for GIA run design competition: Kilcreggan – a future for rural communities. Presentation and judging on the 20th August 2011.
1 August 2011
Dwell Magazine
Published in US based Dwell Magazine and parodied in Unhappy Hipsters whose tagline “It’s lonely in the modern world” we love. Pictures by Ben Anders.
29 June 2011
Trinity project update
Sedum roof matting installed on Friday on our Trinity project. The green cable in a temporary watering supply mechanism (hence also the water in the valley gutter).
25 June 2011
Riverside Museum
Visited Zaha Hadid’s Riverside Museum in Glasgow. Great building.
22 June 2011
House in Fermanagh
At the summer soltice it’s hard to remember what noon on January 2nd looked like. Here it is, when we visited the new site for a house in Fermanagh. The house we designed, under wraps for now, is currently in for planning which is an interminably long process in Northern Ireland.
10 June 2011
Trinity House update
ScotLarch cladding at the listed Trinity House.
7 June 2011
Art of Leith
Art of Leith Exhibition opens.
3 June 2011
Saltire Housing award
Shortlisted for a second Saltire Housing award in a row for our tiny Bath Street Window project. The last set of Judges from the EAA didn’t visit in the end which was very disappointing.
27 May 2011
Art of Leith
Art of Leith Exhibition poster uses our Fermanagh House image. Please come along to the exhibition and to the Open Studios day.
17 May 2011
BetonHala Exhibition Centre Competition
BetonHala Exhibition Centre Competition winners announced.
10 May 2011
Model display
Cleared Fraser’s desk today by [finally] getting these models up on the wall.
9 May 2011
Beautiful Kitchens
Our Bath Street Window makes the cover of Beautiful Kitchens Magazine.
7 April 2011
Scottish Larch cladding
Scottish Larch cladding from Russwood sample panel approved by client today.
31 March 2011
Competition proposal
Competition proposal, first model images.
17 March 2011
Trinity extension
Site progress on our Trinity extension – cladding panels going on and ground levelled.
14 March 2011
Matsushima tsunami update
Matsushima, where we lived for three years appears largely to have missed the main tsunami demolition. Aerial photo montage post-tsunami 14th March 2011. CLICK HERE for very large image (may take a few minutes). 5KM to the East Higashi-matsushima looks like this.
1 March 2011
Model
Sketch model for new house in Ireland.
21 February 2011
Trinity extension
Site progress on our Trinity extension.
17 February 2011
EAA small projects award 2011
Shortlisted for an EAA small projects award 2011 for the Bath Street Window project.
7 February 2011
Bo Bedre
Our Japanese House published by Danish / Norweigen design magazine Bo Bedre.
4 February 2011
Kengo Kuma interview
In Tokyo for three weeks (as Thomas Heatherwick would say “on a research trip”). Met and interviewed architect Kengo Kuma today for a magazine article about his brilliant competition winning project for the V&A in Dundee.
3 February 2011
The Architects Journal
Our Bath Street Window published on the cover of The Architects Journal as part of the shortlist for the small projects award 2011.
24 January 2011
EAA small projects award
EAA small projects award submission deadline today.
21 January 2011
Fermanagh house model
First sketch model of our Fermanagh house, thinking about cob, straw bale or clay daub textures.
12 January 2011
Japanese house
Japanese house published as a budget self build home, see press for full article.
9 January 2011
Walk-a-chat group
Joined the walk-a-chat group climbing the unpronounceable Stuc an Lochain. We had really amazing weather (clear blue skies and no wind) as we climbed through thick snow chatting about art’n’stuff.
14 December 2010
Simon Whatley
Simon Whatley’s beautiful furniture was photographed in our house by Robert Pereira Hind back in September. We were very impressed with the images.
13 December 2010
Location Scotland
You can now hire out our Japanese House for photo shoots for the day via Location Scotland.
8 December 2010
Study model
Study / furniture plwood model at 1:10.
2 December 2010
Trinity House
A very snowy site at our extension & conversion to grade B listed Trinity House. Thankfully the large internal changes mean it is not slowing up the contractor, Wilkie Construction, too much as they can get on with internal works. Externally the standpipe is frozen every morning and the concrete freezes in the mixer after 20 minutes. The foundations were cast just in time according to the contractor, though I don’t know when they will be able to cast the ground bearing slab.
1 December 2010
Build It
Published in January edition of self build magazine Build It pictures by Douglas Gibb.
24 November 2010
Dublin Sports Hall
We just found out that we didn’t win the Loreto Sports Hall competition in Dublin. We are disappointed but also a bit irritated with the competition process.
23 November 2010
Trinity House update
Demolition on a sunny morning at Trinity House, Edinburgh. I find this picture artistic even though it is a progress ‘snap’ of a new opening. There is something vaguely ominous in it.
19 November 2010
Study
Working on a tiny project for a study which we are proposing as a plywood insert with its own shoji screen.
16 November 2010
Fraser McQuade
We are very proud to officially welcome our new employee Fraser McQuade. Fraser won the EAA medal as best 3rd year student at ECA which Kieran presented back in June (news 10/06/2010).
15 November 2010
Trinity House
Our alteration and extension of the listed Trinity House (Edinburgh) starts on site with some speedy demolitions.
12 November 2010
Scotstoun Extension
Our extension in Scotstoun (Glasgow) added to the projects list.
29 October 2010
Student Architecture Society
Invited by Edinburgh University Student Architecture Society to give a talk on Japan and our Japanese House on Friday 29th October 2010 18:30.
28 October 2010
Archello
Archello publish our information and a story about the Japanese House here.
25 October 2010
Wallpaper* Magazine
Japanese House published by Wallpaper* Magazine as reason number for 5 for being in the UK, very proud and nice words by Caroline Ednie.
24 October 2010
RBS Sense magazine
Informed by a client that we had been published by RBS Sense magazine, weird thing was no-one had gotten in contact with us to discuss in advance. Editor was very apologetic but truth is this is good publicity for us. Just cleaned out our junk mail and spotted e-mail from journalist in July.
2 October 2010
Site visit
Site visit for one of our early projects that sailed out of the office last year. Note to self: no more of these “stop at Stage E” projects.
26 September 2010
Doors Open Day
Doors Open Day 2010 was a great success. Estimates vary but we think around 1,500 people visited our little house (it was very busy). To all who attended, thank you for your patience, kind words and good humour.
Special thanks to Maggie Spalding from the Cockburn Association without whom we would have been swamped and to Neil, Fraser, Nancy, Clare & Paul for their help and support.
Please CLICK HERE to support the Cockburn Association.
20 September 2010
Sixteen Makers
We also saw 55.02 by Sixteen Makers at Kielder (My old friends Nick Calicott, Phil Ayres and Bob Sheil). An amazing piece of architecture – Makiko loved it for it’s Japanese-ness and I for it’s complexity of construction; I wish we had access to making skills and technologies like these.
Link to Bob Sheil’s proto architecture manifesto on Leopold Lambert’s blog.
20 September 2010
Kielder
Spent the weekend at Kielder looking at art and architecture including James Turrell’s Sky Space.
15 September 2010
Business Cards
New Business Cards with 1:1 scale image of the Big Black Pillar; with the unexpected effect that when you hold up the card against the pillar the card disappears.
4 September 2010
Bath Street window
First draft of the photos (in the rain) of the Bath Street window by David Clark.
1 September 2010
Trinity extension
Trinity extension receives planning permission and listed building consent.
16 August 2010
The Cockburn Association Edinburgh
The Cockburn Association Edinburgh Doors Open Day brochure arrives and we have a page to ourselves. See press page for more info. Now all we have to do is open up on the day – we have been told to expect between 500-1000 people.
6 August 2010
Saltire awards
Saltire awards shortlist announced in RIAS Quarterly magazine.
3 August 2010
Borders House
Our client for the Borders House sent us this image of the cladding now well under way.
27 July 2010
Portobello Long House
David finishes off his placement with some revised images of the Portobello Long House.
17 July 2010
Bath Street window update
Snagging the Bath Street window today.
12 July 2010
Architect In The House scheme
Konishi Gaffney architects are participating in the 2010 Architect In The House scheme which offers homeowners a one hour consultation with an architect in return for a donation to homeless charity Shelter.
7 July 2010
Saltire Award
Shortlist for Saltire Award announced. A Flickr set with images of all the projects shortlisted in 5 categories.
News Link Housing Today.
6 July 2010
Homes & Interiors Scotland magazine
Homes & Interiors Scotland magazine publish a 6 page article on the Japanese House.
5 July 2010
David Clark
Konishi Gaffney architects are joined by student architect David Clark for a few weeks over summer.
26 June 2010
James Falconer
Konishi Gaffney architects are joined by talented young architect James Falconer. Welcome aboard James.
22 June 2010
Saltire Housing Award
Japanese house shortlisted for a Saltire Housing Award, judges are visiting on Thursday 24th June 2010.
10 June 2010
EAA JR McKay medal
Kieran Gaffney presents EAA JR McKay medal to Fraser McQuade, the best 3rd year student at Edinburgh Collge of Art 2010. See EAA website article.
7 June 2010
Out of the Blue
We have moved into our new space – a shared arts studio in “Out of the Blue” in Dalmeny Street. However, our main address is still the Japanese House in Bellfield Lane.
3 June 2010
EAA “JR McKay” medal
Kieran judged the EAA “JR McKay” medal with Robert Black and Angus Eitel at the Edinburgh College of Art, very interesting.
1 June 2010
Bath St Window update
Construction continues on the Bath St Window as the main glass panels are installed.
23 May 2010
Scotland on Sunday
The Japanese House featured with a 6 page article in the Scotland on Sunday, At Home magazine.
11 May 2010
Dwell Magazine
Aaron Britt from Dwell Magazine visits us for breakfast during his Scotland tour and sends a postcard back to the magazine.
5 May 2010
Bath St Window update
Boys day in Japan. Construction continues on the Bath St Window.
28 April 2010
Scottish Storytelling Centre
Kieran will give a short talk as one of the EAA award winners for 2010 on the Japanese House, at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, from 17:30.
27 April 2010
Homebuilding and Renovating Magazine
The japanese House featured in the Green Homes issue of Homebuilding and Renovating Magazine.
27 April 2010
Strathclyde University
Kieran invited to review 5th year diploma projects at Strathclyde University in Glasgow.
22 April 2010
Bath St Window update
Our project Bath St Window on site; the big opening has been formed and project should be finished in 3-4 weeks.
20 April 2010
Edinburgh College of Art
Kieran and Makiko invited to review project work and portfolios for 2nd year architecture students at the Edinburgh College of Art.
15 April 2010
Building Design
Press article in Building Design.
1 April 2010
EAA small projects award
Konishi Gaffney architects win EAA small projects award.
“The Small Projects Award was made to Konishi Gaffney architects for their Japanese House. Designed for a Scottish-Japanese family, the house incorporates several Japanese themes and provides a light-filled and comfortable family home in Portobello.”
Makiko and Kieran received the award at the Balmoral Hotel (on April Fool’s day).
EAA Website news
25 February 2010
Architects Journal
Press article in New Practices column of the Architects Journal Unfortunately subscriber only content. Click here for a jpg of the article.
19 February 2010
EAA small project award 2010
Japanese House shortlisted for EAA small project award 2010.
25 January 2010
EAA small project award 2010
Submission made for EAA small project award 2010.
Many thanks to Alan Craigie who took some great new photographs.
21 January 2010
Zumtobel Photographic Competition
Kieran was placed 11th in the 2009 Zumtobel photographic competition from 2,000 entries with the top 22 invited for lunch in Nottinghill on February 12th 2010. The pictures were all taken using fixed lens throwaway cameras so we haven’t even seen the images yet, should be fun.
Update: images published in Building Design.
17 December 2009
Pecha Kucha Night Edinburgh
Kieran and Makiko are showing some work at Pecha Kucha Night Edinburgh. 17th December 2009 7:30 – 9 pm.
Pecha Kucha Night was devised in Tokyo in February 2003 as an event for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of “chit chat”, it is based on a simple idea: 20 images x 20 seconds with each talk lasting around 7mins.
At Inspace (the Informatics Building at Edinburgh University) 1 Crichton Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9AB
The event is free but needs advance booking www.pecha-kucha.org/night/edinburgh/6
7 October 2009
Invited critic
Kieran was invited critic for 3rd year architecture students at Edinburgh College of Art.
6 October 2009
Bath Street Window update
Revised image for Bath Street Window.
1 October 2009
Postcards
1000 postcards printed for distribution in Portobello.
3 September 2009
Engineering Scotland and Japan: Past, Present and Future
Attended the Royal Society of Edinburgh Discussion Forum ‘Engineering Scotland and Japan: Past, Present and Future’.
31 August 2009
LIFT ARCHITECTS
Amazing drawing made to represent the construction process for a very interesting little exhibition project in California College of Arts. The project is most interesting for it’s use of 3D modelling and parametrics to auto-create this complex structure. LIFT ARCHITECTS
27 August 2009
Bath Street Window project update
Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent granted for our Bath Street Window project; a grade B listed building in a Conservation Area. Consent was granted following consultation in 6 weeks and without contention.
1 July 2009
Borders House
Borders House construction started – timber kit erected in three weeks.
1 May 2009
Building Regs on flues 2009
