Country Living: Architect Gareth Hoskins brings modernism to the Lomond Hills
The Duncan House was designed by the architect Gareth Hoskins OBE in 2002, located within the historic walls of a former fruit garden at the foot of the picturesque Lomond Hills, sixteen miles from St Andrews, in Fife. Full-height windows across much of the house give wonderful views across the surrounding landscaped gardens and make this a light and bright home.
It features an unusual elliptical room, which was designed as a music room. With doors that open out onto the gardens and a dramatic overhanging roof that shades the interior from high sun, the house is an example of Hoskins’s architecture at its very best. Awarded an OBE from the Queen for his services to architecture, he’s worked across a range of sectors, from museums to one-off houses such as this one. His practice, Hoskins Architects, have offices both in Scotland and abroad.
For this property, he was inspired by the client’s love of Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion, saying: “The plan of the house is defined by two thick, white rendered masonry walls that contrast with the grey whinstone of the existing garden walls. These walls emphasise connections between old and new, inside and outside. Daylight is maximized by almost half of the external walls being made from glass, and to [create] a frameless appearance the units are butt-joined and detailed to allow for movement of the cantilevered roof. The main spaces are clean and uncluttered, with their main focus on the garden.”
The gardens incorporate a rockery at the front and rear, and a more traditional Scottish walled garden that incorporates many of the original espalier fruit trees. The listed walls create an atmospheric backdrop to an attractive array of plantings and large, level lawns.
In the former grounds of Kinloch House, the area, situated approximately thirty miles north of Edinburgh, is largely rural and is well known for its walking and wildlife. Fife is also a sought-after golfing destination, with St Andrews only sixteen miles to the east. Nearby villages include Freuchie, Collessie, Letham and Ladybank, while the market-town of Cupar has an impressive farmers market and well-known restaurants.
On sale with The Modern House from £750,000. Call 020 3795 5920 or visit themodernhouse.net.