We are delighted to have received Planning Permission for a garden room extension to a property in Morningside. 

The project will provide a generous light-filled living room as well as a new main door and porch for the property which is currently accessed off a common stair. Inspired by our client's love of colour and by the natural tones in the garden, the extension will have pink lime rendered walls over wood fibre insulation, with a green zinc roof and powder coated window frames/rainwater goods. Blue-green bricks, made from recycled materials, will form a base course and will continue up to meet windows at cill level. 

We're looking forward to progressing the project over the next few months, and to seeing the materials come together on site.

Helen Lucas Architects Ltd are excited to announce that we are currently working with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to reinvigorate the Grade B Listed Inverleith House. The project will establish design solutions to sensitively refurbish and upgrade the garden’s key creative programmes venue, amplifying the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Arts Strategy to establish Inverleith House as Climate House and be both ecologically and sustainably focused. 

Some of the team gathered at Calton Hill at sunrise this morning to take part in ‘The Exoneration of Agnes Sampson’, a moving and transformational art event by the practice’s long time friend Laura Graham.

Laura asks: How can we witness the burning of another human being and not be changed forever? This morning we stood in silence as contemporary witnesses.

Coinciding with International Women’s Day, the event commemorates and raises awareness of Agnes Sampson, one of the first people to be burnt as a witch in Scotland. Thousands more were burnt, most of them women.

More information on the Laura’s work can be found here and here.

Lots of our projects have been continuing on site despite the adversity of this last year and we thought we would show some photographs of work currently in development and nearing completion. Out of a long and bitter winter we are beginning to feel the warmth and welcome the new shoots of spring here in Edinburgh, and the connections to landscape and sunlight which have long been imagined begin to reveal themselves with the turning season.  

In preparation for returning to working from the office we have been working with Allgood, our wonderful ironmongery specialists, to upgrade our space in line with new Covid-19 working practices. 

This year, instead of distributing Christmas cards we have decided to make a charity donation to Crisis. 

Our project in Edinburgh’s West End is progressing well, with some incredibly neat workmanship of the new and refurbished roof. The new dormer captures tremendous views across the city and to the hills beyond.

Thanks to main contractors Gloss Projects, Grey and Dick windows and Finial roofing for all their hard work.

HLA have recently been awarded planning for a new project in Edinburgh's Grange conservation area. The garden extension acts to bring more light into the building, creating a bright and contemporary living space with strong connections to the garden.  Clad in zinc, it is markedly contemporary whilst also being complimentary to the existing sandstone villa.

Stripping back the historic layers and piercing the gloom; bringing new life to a New Town flat. 

Helen Lucas Architects’ project for Ingleby Gallery at the Glasite Meeting House has been featured in the latest issue of the Magazine of The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland. Written by architectural assistant to the project Cal Harris, the feature charts the historic development of the Glasite Meeting House and details the recent conversion into a dynamic, versatile platform for contemporary art.

The full article can be read here (.pdf).

Links to information regarding membership to AHSS can be found here .

As works to the historic Glasite Meeting House continue apace, HLA are excited to announce that we are working with Ingleby Gallery to restore and refurbish this beautiful building as a new contemporary art gallery for Edinburgh's city centre.

Further information can be found here: http://bit.ly/2GzM4Xo

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.

On the 28th May, Helen Lucas Architects will be taking part in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival, raising money for Independence from Drugs and Alcohol Scotland (IFDAS). Split into 3 relay teams, we have a total of 12 runners. If you would like to support these efforts, please donate to the cause below.

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/helenlucas5

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 are delighted to have received Planning permission and Listed Building Consent for the renovation and change of use of a C-listed mews house in the Dean Conservation Area, Edinburgh.

The dilapidated garage space is to be insulated and converted into a spacious one-bed home. A new opening to the rear reveals the stunning backdrop of the Dean Village and Water of Leith.

Originally designed as a row of stables in the late 19th Century, our proposal strives to retain the character of the original timber coach doors. A contemporary adaptation of the street elevation provides clerestory light, a hidden window concealed by a shutter, and a new place to sit and enjoy the sun.

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 pleased to announce that as of 1st April 2016 Helen Lucas Architects became a Limited Company.

Having moved into our new office in 2015, we are excited to be progressing a range of new and varied projects due on site this year.

Three new members of staff have recently joined the team at Helen Lucas Architects. 

Laura Harty joined the office in June, Neil Dargie in August and Will Cairns in September.

Helen Lucas Architects have now moved in to newly refurbished offices at 31-35 Marchmont Road.

Renovation of this three storey Victorian end-of-terrace house in Hartington Place is nearing completion. 

Included in the work was the conversion of the original offshot utility room to a sunny dining space, with a large pop-out picture window facing the garden and a new opening through to the kitchen.

Helen Lucas was recently invited by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) to discuss the practice of Architecture in the UK. In the podcast Helen shares her unique perspective on the profession, the workplace, sustainability, and what made her originally want to become an Architect. 

Click here to listen to the podcast

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.

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. 

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.

This week there were more bikes than usual outside the office as for the first time, nearly everyone cycled to work. A total of 26.6 miles were cycled in total from the routes shown on the map below.

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.

The first of the pendant light fittings have been installed at Greenhill Gardens.  The simple yet striking fittings sit perfectly in the large decorative rooms of this Victorian property.

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

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.

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

Helen Lucas Architects have been providing placements  for school students through Edinburgh University's Pathways to the Professions programme for a number of years. There is now a film!

 

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

Progress photographs of a loft conversion that almost doubles the floor area to a stone bungalow in the Greenbank area of Edinburgh.

This under utilised loft space has been floored and extensively insulated to form a bedroom and ensuite with generous headroom and lots of natural light. The loft conversion is part of a larger refurbishment scheme that adds a substantial extension to the rear of the property.

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.

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 construction of a stoneclad, single storey garden room extension is completed at Moston Terrace, Edinburgh. The garden room extension element of the ground floor extension and refurbishment of this family home is completed.

The stoneclad exterior and timber framed windows sit comfortably with the existing house while maintaining the sleek language of a modern extension.

View more garden rooms >

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>

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.

A window with a great view over central Edinburgh is installed at Hartington Gardens.

A sliding, folding window is installed permitting panoramic views across Edinburgh from a modern third floor extension and refurbishment. The window is pushed beyond the building envelope allowing spectacular 180 views over the surrounding rooftop

View the completed project >

s.

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.

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 >

Before and after pictures of a cottage on the outskirts of Edinburgh.

The house has doubled in size but you could quite easily miss the amount of work that has taken place. Following an extensive refurbishment and extension by Helen Lucas Architects an extra storey has been added to the house as well as a brick porch and a large extension to the rear of the property overlooking 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.

This classic Edinburgh bungalow gained planning permission for a large rear extension in June.

The project started on site in September and the timber framed extension is starting to take shape. The extension benefits from very large sliding doors to maximise the daylight and views.

A loft conversion is taking place in conjunction with these works and progress can be seen in a separate post.