We are delighted to have received Building Warrant approval for an Artist’s Studio and Gym buildings in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. 

The proposals will provide a generous light-filled Artist’s Studio with views out over the beautiful landscape design by Tracy McQue. The Gym building will boast breath-taking views of the landscape and hills to the South. The buildings are designed to sit comfortably within their surroundings with simple modern forms and refined palette. Blackened timber cladding is paired with zinc roof and powder coated window frames/rainwater goods. 

We're looking forward to breaking ground, with the project set to start on site next month.

We are delighted to have received Planning Permission for this standalone Studio and Sauna building. The studio is located on the site of an existing garage in a clearing within a mature grouping of deciduous and coniferous trees. The building will house an art studio space, sauna and outdoor shower.  

Black stained timber and pared-back detailing will be used to create a striking yet discreet structure within the trees.

We are pleased to announce that our project for a new house near Arisaig has been granted planning permission. Commanding fantastic views over Loch Nan Ceall, the proposal is for a new build house featuring a Douglas-fir frame and constructed sustainably using breathable wood-fibre insulation. 

We’re pleased to announce that planning has been granted for our renovation project in Culross, Fife. The proposal is for the extensive refurbishment of an existing 1960’s detached house, set within the environs of the historic Culross Abbey. New cladding materials help to both sustainably improve the external insulation and bed the building into it’s woodland surroundings. A carefully considered extension and internal alterations also combine to help open up much enhanced living spaces to the marvellous views across the Firth of Forth. 

HLA had a great time at Carpenter Oak's 'Craft and Design of Timber Framing' talk at their workshop in Angus. This was an opportunity for us to gain a greater understanding of the production and design possibilities of traditional timber framed buildings.

We have recently completed this new build family home in the Swanston area of Edinburgh. The house is designed to nestle into it’s sloping site whilst maximising the views of the Pentland hills beyond.  The orientation and form of the dwelling creates two private courtyards allowing the occupants to enjoy the morning and evening sun both outside and in the principal living area. 

We are delighted to have received planning permission for a new build house in Belhaven, East Lothian.

The house will sit at the rear of a long plot with a narrow plan to nestle into the shape of the site. It is split into two main components separated by a modest entrance courtyard. The walls will be clad in brick to match neighbouring buildings, and timber cladding left untreated to grey gradually and blend into the leafy garden surroundings.

We are delighted to have received planning permission for this new build house in the south of Edinburgh. Set over 2 levels, the transparency of the elevations visually connect the interior spaces with 2 new courtyard gardens, whilst the upper roof terrace takes in fantastic views to the Pentland Hills.

After a busy winter on site, HLA are delighted to announce that the Phase 1 of our Kylesku Hotel project is complete, with the hotel bar and restaurant open for business! Thanks to some fantastic weather our latest site meeting was held on the deck, in the warm sunshine.

The rooflight of an extension to an A listed garden flat in The New Town Conservation Area was installed this week. It provides a fantastic source of light into the new family dining area. 

Practical Completion has been certified at the garden room extension at Stanhope Place in Edinburgh.  The roof has been designed so evening sun can still reach the sheltered east corner of the site which is the perfect spot for a gin and tonic.

This listed gatehouse was completed two years ago.  Our phographer has been back to photograph it now the cladding has weathered and the garden has matured.  More details of the project at Grange Loan can be seen on our main website.

Charred timber cladding is the proposed finish this Edinburgh Extension which has recently gained planning permission.  The folding sliding doors and timber ingos will be oiled to provide an interesting contrast as can be seen on this visualisation.

One of our North Berwick projects been featured in Home & Interiors Scotland. 

Read the full article here (.pdf).

Work to an upper villa in Duddingston Conservation area is now complete.  The scheme has linked the upper apartment with a new ground floor extension which opens onto the garden with a view of Arthur's Seat.

We have recently completed a small extension in the Kingsknowe area of Edinburgh.  The extension is finished in a breathable lime render with framed sliding doors and timber clad inlay.

We have recently completed an extension to a house on a corner within the Portobello conservation area.

Helen Lucas Architects have received plannning permission for a new low energy house in rural Midlothian. The house will feature an air source heat pump, rainwater harvesting and solar panels. The building will be clad with lime render, larch boarding and standing seam zinc roofing.

This green oak framed house, completed in 2008, was featured in the homes section of the Guardian on Saturday 5th October.   The photographs show how the house has weathered into - and become a natural looking part of - the landscape.

View the article here >

More information on this project >

Grange Loan has been awarded a commendation in the Alterations, Renovation and Extension category of the Saltire Society Housing Awards.

We are delighted that our project at Grange Loan, Edinburgh has been nominated for a Saltire Society Housing Design Award, in the  category for alterations, renovations and extensions.

Winners will announced by the Minister for Housing and Welfare, Margaret Burgess MSP, at the Awards ceremony on Monday 9th September.  The chair of this year's judging panel is the broadcaster Lesley Riddoch.

The sea might be cold but the cedar hot tub installed at this seaside house makes enjoying the water a little bit easier in the north west of Scotland.
 

A new seaside family house is now complete in Roshven, Invernessshire.

The environmentally friendly house is constructed entirely of wood with Green oak frame creating large double height internal spaces. The timber walls have been super insulated with NBT breathable wood fibre insulation and a taped air tight wall construction. This makes the house very easy to heat. Due to the remote location there is no gas or water supply available. An Air Source Heat pump located under the houseuses electricity to generate energy at a three to one ratio to power the underfloor heating and domestic hot water. A bore hole drilled to a depth of fifty metres provides clean water from the rocks which is UV treated to provide the drinking water.

View more photographs of this project >

An extension to a lower flatted villa within the Polwarth conservation area is now complete.

The addition provides a new front entrance and hall made from traditional stone. The traditional block to the front intersects with a timber clad building which contains a large living room, study and additional bedroom and cloakroom. The new contemporary living space has a large sliding door which opens across the outside of the building to provide access and views onto the private garden.

The glazing is being installed at Polwarth Terrace a Villa to the west of Edinburgh. This project is being constructed to a very tight timetable and is approaching watertightness after only six weeks on site.

One of the most interesting aspects of the design is this bespoke sliding door which slides across the external face of the cladding to give unimpeded access to the garden.

The extension to the listed gate house is now complete. The timber clad extension with a butterfly roof has doubled the floor space in this efficiently designed extension.

The Clients used local materials where possible inside and out. The western red cedar used to clad the building was sourced from the Knoydart Peninsula from trees toppled during last years storms.

Horizontal Siberian Larch Cladding gives this house a controlled furniture like appearance. The ebauer corner posts and window frames produce a subtle contrast with the siberian larch cladding.

More details of this project >

The extension to a small listed home in Edinburgh is moving at a fast pace After a little over a month on site the form of this contemporary extension is plainly visible. This is a major advantage of using timber frame construction.

A new build timber frame home in Roshven takes shape. The timber cladding has been added to a new build holiday home on the West Coast of Scotland.

The site overlooks a shingle beach with the building sited just above the high tide line. The siberian larch and iroko cladding will turn naturally to a silver grey harmonising with surroundings.

View the completed project >

Cladding is added to Timber Frame extension. The project is really starting to take shape as the timber cladding starts to be applied to a contemporary timber frame extension to a listed building in East Lothian.

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Timber frame extension starts on site at Dick Place, Edinburgh. Progress has been fast in the first few weeks on site with this timber frame extension which will double the footprint of the original gatehouse.

Designed to be as passively energy efficient as possible, this project is an exciting one to watch.

Works to this listed gatehouse, situated in the Grange area of Edinburgh have been completed.

After the long planning process where permission was granted by the planning comittee in 2006 the construction stages have run smoothly.

The new building and refurbishment of the old gatehouse demostrate excellent workmanship by the contractor Braidwood Building.

More details of the completed project >

The timber frame for a new house overlooking Goat Island on the west coast of Scotland has been complete.

Designed by Carpenter Oak Woodland from douglas fir the frame will remain visible after the building has been completed. The house has been designed to have a light touch on the landscape and sits on small concrete pads cast directly onto the rocky site.

View details of the completed project >

A listed building in The Grange area of Edinburgh has been restored.  Helen Lucas Architects have completed the re-instatement of a villa in Greenhill Gardens which had been split into upper and lower dwellings in the 1930s. A new staircase to re-connect the house a contemporary garden room and garage extensions complement the historic villa.

Photographs of Untreated Timber Cladding Three Years After Installation.

The clients at Leamington Terrace decided to leave the Iroko Cladding to their garden room extension untreated. Three years on the timber has weathered naturally to a beautiful silver colour.

See more images of Leamington Terrace >