Open Plan Medieval House by AGORA Architecture + Design in Edinburgh, Scotland

Project: Open Plan Medieval House
Architects: AGORA Architecture + Design
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Year: 2022
Photography by: Alix Macintosh

Open Plan Medieval House by AGORA Architecture + Design

This medieval-style house is located in the quiet suburban area of Corstorphine, Edinburgh. The previous front extension resulted in a long and narrow kitchen that separated the living room and backyard. The fragmented layout meant that family members often found themselves in different rooms: cooking, doing homework, or watching TV. Our task was to create a layout that would allow the family to spend more time together and make the kitchen the heart of the home.

The solution was to create an L-shaped space oriented toward the backyard. The old kitchen and hallway walls were demolished to expand the space, and windows and doors were modified for maximum light and connection with the garden. At the front of the house, in the old kitchen, a home office room / additional bedroom was created. A cozy 'node' is located at the center of the plan, with a fireplace as the main element.

The kitchen and dining area are located at the back, with side doors and a panoramic window facing the garden. Exposed steel construction helps define zones. Kitchen modules are styled as furniture: appliances are hidden behind full doors of oak, and the sink is placed in a central niche. Full shelves frame the oak window ledge and also serve as a place to display clients' personal items.

Oak flooring with a comb pattern is used throughout the first floor, and the green and pink color palette is applied to kitchen modules, walls, metal structures, and soft furnishings. This continuity of finishes, together with minimalist details such as recessed sills, frameless doors, and transparent switches, helps create a sense of spaciousness.

The resulting spaces are calm and relaxed, with enough room for large gatherings as well as more cozy areas for warm evenings by the fireplace.

-Project description and images provided by AGORA Architecture + Design