Cluny Gardens
This recently completed extension to an existing bungalow responds to a challenging, steeply sloped garden. The project involved replacing and enlarging a previous rear extension with a new flat-roofed volume that now sits neatly below the existing eaves line.
The client’s brief was to create a space that opened the house to the garden while improving accessibility. With a significant level change to the garden, the new structure is cantilevered from the existing building using a steel post and timber beam system on piles. This allowed the extension to extend over the garden without extensive excavation and foundations.
| Client | Private |
| Location | Morningside, Edinburgh |
| Category | House Extension |
| Status | Completed |
| Year | 2024 |
| Area | 10m² |
| Structural Engineer | Forshaw Gauld |
| Contractor | HGS Building Services |
| Photography | Nanne Springer |
Inside, the space brings together kitchen, dining and living areas in a warm, open plan layout with light entering from all aspects, changing the feel of the space throughout the day. Large windows frame views of the surrounding trees and greenery, giving the interior the feeling of being nestled in the canopy like a tree house. A window seat creates a calm spot to sit and look out into the garden.
A natural palette of exposed Douglas fir beams and birch ply joinery adds warmth and softness. The exterior is clad in black timber, which complements the green of the garden.
A key feature is the new deck, which connects to the extension via a small timber bridge allowing for level access to the garden and a gentle transition from inside to out.
This modest but thoughtful intervention brings the home and garden into better connection, both visually and physically.
