Comielaw

Comielaw steading is a B-listed farm with U-shaped plan dating back to the late 17th Century.

This project was an attempt to address the problem of rural farm steadings in a sustainable way. So, in order to preserve its heritage while driving local economic development the client proposed to covert the steading to form 12 affordable office, studio & light-industrial units.

The existing buildings were repaired and upgraded; insulated, rewired and waterproofed to current building standards. Materials chosen were sympathetic to the original utilising traditional, local techniques and through phased construction favoured small local contractors further supporting the area’s economy.

An existing lean-to shed was demolished and replaced with a low-cost, off-the-shelf system overclad in 150mm deep timber boarding. In a long-short hit-&-miss pattern the cladding was treated with a traditional coal-tar black finish. This cladding texture, also applied over windows, plays on a local rural architectural typology and gives the new building a strong and robust presence.