Model making is underway as we explore possible elevations and develop early concepts for our East Lothian courtyard project.

These initial proposals include a porch extension to the existing house, creating a threshold space between house and grounds, and separate building to provide accessible guest accommodation. The two zinc clad forms are connected by a covered walkway, enclosing an intimate garden with swimming pool, all orientated to capture the evening sun.

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’re excited to be hosting an exhibition in our shopfront as part of this year’s Archifringe. The window display showcases Delighthouse, one of the winning installations from the Winter Stations competition in Toronto, designed by HLA’s Nick Green and graphic designer Greig Pirrie.

Responding to the competition theme of ‘radiance’, the installation sought to reinterpret a traditional timber lighthouse form into a technicoloured, fairground-inspired landmark to draw visitors to the beach during the harsh Canadian winter. The structure consists of eight frames leaning into each other representing many parts coming together to find strength as a whole. A colourful pattern wraps around the tower, casting onto panels which radiate outwards, anchoring the tower to the ground.

The Delighthouse exhibition is on view at our studios on Marchmont Road until 11th June. For more information, check out the Archifringe website here: https://architecturefringe.com/festivals/2023/delighthouse

The Architecture Fringe Festival returns from the 4th-20th June 2021 with a wide range of online and on site events, including the online graduate Showcase from Architecture and Landscape Architecture students across Scotland. The Architecture Fringe is a grassroots organisation based in Scotland that explores architecture and design in our social, political and cultural contexts.

We are pleased to announce that our project for Burr’s Garage, Tongue, has been granted planning permission. At the local planning committee the proposal was unanimously granted approval, receiving high praise for an extensive and detailed submission which will provide a world-class attraction and community focused gathering space for locals and visitors alike. Further details of the committee's decision can be found in the Northern Times article here.

HLA have recently completed a new 3 bedroom house on a narrow site in the Belhaven Conservation Area.

It sits to the rear of the site, clad in brick and Scottish Larch. The roof is zinc and the whole house is insulated with breathable wood fibre insulation. 

HLA are delighted to have received planning permission for a large family home in the Scottish Borders. The property is currently a ruin, having served as a farm house and stable block until the 1930's. The new home will feature an indoor pool, private sheltered courtyard garden, and will focus on views across the surrounding landscape.

HLA are delighted that two of our projects (Frisealach and Taigh Na Coille) have been included in a new book by Peter Wilson, focussing on contemorary timber construction around the UK.

We are delighted to announce that works at Bread Street are almost complete. Keep your eyes peeled for The Fat Pony, a new wine bar opening to the public in the very near future. Almost all of the elements in the bar are bespoke and crafted locally; from the Douglas Fir shuttering and mild steel detailing, to the fabric panelling and folded metal light fittings . The Fat Pony will offer a unique selection of wines, charcuterie, small plates and more.

Images of the completed project can be found here.

HLA are delighted to have received Planning Permission for an attic extension at a house in the Coltbridge and Wester Coates Conservation Area. The property was previously extended for the same owners by Helen Lucas Architects in 2009.

HLA are delighted to have received Planning permission and Listed Building Consent for the renovation and extension of a B-listed Victorian villa in the Merchiston and Greenhill Conservation Area. Extending into an unused existing void space, the proposal strives to reorganise the villa to adapt to the needs of modern living; a generous kitchen-dining space overlooks the leafy front garden, whilst new decking and openings accentuate the relationship between the house and the redesigned rear garden.

A quadripartite window to the front elevation is composed to match the existing fenestration; the verticality and generous proportions are a contemporary articulation of the original early Victorian facade.

The renovation and extension of this house in Merchiston, Edinburgh is now nearing compeltion. Work has included the formation of new zinc clad extensions to the rear of the house, as well as extensive Lithomex stone repairs, which beautifully match the original building fabric.

HLA were pleased to attend the formal opening of new practice rooms at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland yesterday. The new practice rooms have already proved popular, and initial feedback from staff and students has been very positive.

HLA have very much enjoyed working with the Royal Conservatoire and the project team and hope that their new Creative Campus is an asset to this lively and thriving institution.

The opening has been covered by both the BBC and The Herald.

Helen Lucas Architects entered a recent competition by Highland Council for the design of three roadside shelters at Locharron, Achnasheen and Braemar Junction.

Taking the view, orientation to the sun and exposure to the surrounding environment as the inspiration, the project sought to provide places of ‘prospect and refuge’ for visitors to the area. The shelters used a combination of local materials and pre-fabrication to make construction and repair as easy as possible in these often remote locations. 

Although we were not shortlisted in the final three entrants we very much enjoyed developing these proposals.

HLA were pleased to revisit our project at Woodhall Road, Edinburgh 18 months after practical completion. The garden-room features a postless corner, allowing open views and access to the adjacent garden.

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 very happy with the latest stair installation at our project in Dollar, Clackmannanshire. The continuous handrail and dark treads contrast with the decoration, and the post-less construction allows the light to flood into the newly formed space through spindle balusters.

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.

We were pleased to see our two complementary rear extensions to a villa in the Grange taking shape. The Summer House is clad in pre-patinated copper. The same material is also used to hightlight a slot picture window on the stone extension, which houses a new bathroom and utility. 

Stonework is nearing completion at our garden room extension at a C-listed house in Colinton, Edinburgh. With wide, postless-corner glazing, this space will provide fantastic views across the adjacent garden.

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. 

Helen Lucas Architects were delighted to attend the 2014 Inverness Architectural Association Convention on Skye. Enjoyable presentations included those by Hugh Strange, Jonathan Hendry and Malcolm Fraser amongst others, as well as a talk by Helen Lucas entitled 'Building on the Edge'.

The office was delighted to be awarded a Commendation for Best Use of Timber at our Croft House, Stoer, which was collected by Project Architect Claire Metivier.

A workers cottage in west Edinburgh has been transformed by a full width rear extension.  The zinc extension perches on top of the existing stone work giving the back of this previously cramped property a complete overhaul.

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

Read the full article here (.pdf).

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.

Planning Permission has been granted for a new house on Canaan Lane in Edinburgh's Morningside neighbourhood.

The 3d image below shows how the new 3-bedroom family house will use natural local sandstone to match the adjacent historic house, with a contemporary zinc-clad upper storey.

Our recently completed project at Grange Loan has recieved a commendation at the Saltire Awards.

This top lit oak staircase twists through a void created between the existing gatehouse and new extension at Grange Loan.

The double curved handrail was handmade by a Fife based joiner whom Helen Lucas Architects regularly collaborate with. A blacksmith fitted the mild steel rods and welded a steel ribbon to the the top of them. The oak handrail which curves in two directions was made to match and forms a sweeping curve between the levels. The oak treads have scored nosings for slip resistance and the whole staircase was finished with a hardwax oil to enhance the natural beauty of the wood.

View more images of the completed project to the Grange Loan Gatehouse >

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.

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 >

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.

Architects from Helen Lucas Architects were on hand at Edinburgh's Ingleby Gallery to give behind the scenes tours of areas of the gallery that are usually closed to the general public.

Helen Lucas Architects created the gallery in the building that formerly housed The Venue, an infamous nightclub on Calton Road. A dramatic new staircase has been introduced between the floors giving a discreet, hidden and beautiful route between the three floors of the building.

See more details of this project >

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.

View more projects using timber>

Renovated and refurbished Maids quarters create light and contemporary living space in Edinburgh.

Existing Maids rooms were refurbished with new, larger windows added, creating a modern feel and flooding the rooms with natural light. The existing plan was opened up to give more generous living areas and comfortable circulation to the large Edinburgh home. The surrounding garden was also smoothed into a split level lawn paving aiding the houses engagement with the garden.

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.