Konishi Gaffney Architects are converting a derelict mid-century waterworks near Garvald into a contemporary family home. The original filter station, a Category B listed building, was completed in 1955 and sits discreetly within a wooded site. Though the building is robust in form, decades of disuse had left it in poor condition and in need of extensive repair.

The design approach works with the building’s existing grid and layout to retain its character while making it watertight, warm, and efficient. A portion of the building will be transformed into a highly insulated dwelling, while the remainder is retained as unheated workshop and storage space. New glazed openings and internal courtyards bring light deep into the plan, creating calm, well-ventilated rooms within the deep footprint. Internally, the generous structural bays are retained to provide a sense of rhythm and order.