Baillie Baillie Architects

Log Cabin, School Wood, Farr, IV2 6XJ 17th Nov. 2.30 - 5pm Hosted by Farr Conversations :
... Landscape & (Re)Settlement
Wild land or our land: Can a landscape scattered with the remains of thousands of years of human habitation and cultivation be considered ‘wild’; and how might its successful resettlement be realised?
“The round-back cottages clung to the earth like long animals whose folded heads were always to the mountain. Lying thus to the slopes they were part of the rhythm of the land itself...There were little herds of these cottages at long intervals, and every now and then a cottage by itself like a wandered beast...” Neil Gunn (Butcher’s Broom)
In Scotland, scatterings of small informally planned townships, perhaps best described by the Gaelic word ‘clachan’, once supported vibrant communities with a rich heritage and culture across much of the mountainous highlands. However this now sparsely populated landscape has become commonly regarded as a romanticised ‘wilderness’. By studying the clachan as a typology, might its characteristics be reinterpreted in order to inform and legitimise future resettlement?
----------------------------------------- Cruth-tìre & (Ath)Tuineachadh
Tìr fhiadhaich no tìr againne: An urrainn do chruth-tìre air a sgapadh le cnàmhlaich chòmhnaidh agus àiteachaidh thar mhìltean de bhliadhnaichean a bhith ga bheachdachadh ‘fiadhaich’; agus ciamar a dh’fhaodadh a ath-thuineachadh soirbheachail thighinn gu buil?
“The round-back cottages clung to the earth like long animals whose folded heads were always to the mountain. Lying thus to the slopes they were part of the rhythm of the land itself...There were little herds of these cottages at long intervals, and every now and then a cottage by itself like a wandered beast...” Neil Gunn (Butcher’s Broom)
Ann an Alba, tha crathlaichean bailtean beaga neo-fhoirmeil, ma dh'fhaoidte as fhearr air am mìneachadh leis an fhacal Gàidhlig ‘clachain’, a bheathaich coimhearsnachdan smiorail le beartas dualchais is cultair thairis air a’ mhòr chuid den Ghàidhealtachd bheanntach. Gidheadh, tha an cruth-tìre seo, a-nis beag-shluaghach, air a mheasadh am bitheantas mar fhàsach romansach. Le bhith a’ sgrùdadh a’ chlachain mar gnè-eòlas, am faod a fheartan a bhith air an ath-bhreithneachadh gus comhairleachadh agus dèanamh dligheil ath-thuineachadh san àm ri teachd?
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Nochd aithris mun taisbeanadh againn air BBC Alba an t-seachdain sa chaidh. Taing dhuibh uile a thàinig a-mach.
Our exhibition was featured on BBC Alba last week. Thanks to everyone who made it along.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/naidheachdan/4450327 0

The Architecture Fringe programme has been released featuring our Landscape & (Re)Settlement / Cruth-tìre & (Ath)Tuineachadh exhibition and opening night discussion with Calum MacLeod from Community Land Scotland! Take a look and hopefully we'll see you on the night: http://architecturefringe.com/… https://www.facebook.com/events/207533870 2743696/

Landscape & (Re)Settlement
Wild land or our land: Can a landscape scattered with the remains of thousands of years of human habitation and cultivation be considered ‘wild’; and how might its successful resettlement be realised?
“The round-back cottages clung to the earth like long animals whose folded heads were always to the mountain. Lying thus to the slopes they were part of the rhythm of the land itself...There were little herds of these cottages at long intervals, and ev...ery now and then a cottage by itself like a wandered beast...” Neil Gunn (Butcher’s Broom)
In Scotland, scatterings of small informally planned townships, perhaps best described by the Gaelic word ‘clachan’, once supported vibrant communities with a rich heritage and culture across much of the mountainous highlands. However this now sparsely populated landscape has become commonly regarded as a romanticised ‘wilderness’. By studying the clachan as a typology, might its characteristics be reinterpreted in order to inform and legitimise future resettlement?
----------------------------------------- Cruth-tìre & (Ath)Tuineachadh
Tìr fhiadhaich no tìr againne: An urrainn do chruth-tìre air a sgapadh le cnàmhlaich chòmhnaidh agus àiteachaidh thar mhìltean de bhliadhnaichean a bhith ga bheachdachadh ‘fiadhaich’; agus ciamar a dh’fhaodadh a ath-thuineachadh soirbheachail thighinn gu buil?
“The round-back cottages clung to the earth like long animals whose folded heads were always to the mountain. Lying thus to the slopes they were part of the rhythm of the land itself...There were little herds of these cottages at long intervals, and every now and then a cottage by itself like a wandered beast...” Neil Gunn (Butcher’s Broom)
Ann an Alba, tha crathlaichean bailtean beaga neo-fhoirmeil, ma dh'fhaoidte as fhearr air am mìneachadh leis an fhacal Gàidhlig ‘clachain’, a bheathaich coimhearsnachdan smiorail le beartas dualchais is cultair thairis air a’ mhòr chuid den Ghàidhealtachd bheanntach. Gidheadh, tha an cruth-tìre seo, a-nis beag-shluaghach, air a mheasadh am bitheantas mar fhàsach romansach. Le bhith a’ sgrùdadh a’ chlachain mar gnè-eòlas, am faod a fheartan a bhith air an ath-bhreithneachadh gus comhairleachadh agus dèanamh dligheil ath-thuineachadh san àm ri teachd?
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The Victorian semi-detached houses on Marchbank Road are unusually orientated, facing away from the street, either onto North Deeside Road or in the case of this site, onto the former railway line to the South. This has resulted in the houses having a somewhat back to front sequence of entry. Here a single storey lean-to extension and garage was replaced with a substantial two storey structure, expressing a new street facing elevation.
The L-shaped plan of the existing house ...has been mirrored in the new extension, creating a small courtyard which clarifies the entrance and links the public accommodation. On upper levels, a series of carefully positioned windows and roof lights create light filled spaces, with framed views out to surrounding mature trees. Externally windows sit flush with dark painted vertical timber boarding, creating the impression of a continuous skin, in contrast to the weight and solidity of the adjoining traditional granite construction.
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Positioned within the former productive garden of a Victorian mansion house, our proposal responds to the scale and language of historic outbuildings, creating a house with an ambiguous character, both domestic and utilitarian.
The house is orientated to enclose a well-proportioned landscaped courtyard. Principal rooms are positioned along the courtyard façade, opening up to the garden, while private rooms screen the north approach, lit with clerestory windows. Upper storey accommodation has an attic condition within the hipped roof form, sharing a generous roof light with the central double height living space and mezzanine office.

International Competition, Finalist.
Our observations and design proposal presented here were made in response to the fascinating and distinctive city of Subotica, as well as to the project brief for a mixed use commercial and residential building. The façade proposal is a contemporary design solution which is rooted in, and has emerged from an analysis of the city. The proposed design intends to understand and interpret the architecture of the existing city, as well as contr...ibute to the dialogue between buildings of distinct epochs which form the rich and layered fabric of Subotica. The best examples of buildings that respond to the language of their surrounding context, do so in a way which is both legible yet inventive and contemporary.
A contemporary facade must convey continuity with the culture of the historic city while speaking gently of its connection to the era in which it was built. Buildings that achieve this will remain relevant to the city and will thus stand the test of time and become an intrinsic part of the city’s fabric. A sustainable contemporary architecture is one which endures, like the many magnificent buildings the city has inherited from the past.
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International Competition, 1st Place.
The shelter sits on the banks of the beautiful Loire River in the town of Chouze-sur-Loire, France. From the tree lined riverbank, the structure is orientated to capture one of the many magnificent views out across the water. The elevation facing the footpath allows striking direct light to enter from above, while offering some seclusion from the well-used riverside path.
The cement fibreboard clad structure is demountable, which allows t...he shelter to be the stored in the barns of the local vineyard during the winter months, before re-emerging to mark the start of the area's annual wine festival the following summer. This seasonality references the traditional summer use of the region's grape picker's shelter or 'Loge de Vigne'. The panel dimensions are set by the constraints of the material, which results in 3 modules along the length of the structure. The two gables façades are composed of an opposite solid to void relationship which is resultant of the spatial and structural intent.
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This project proposes four mass market housing types which are intended to encourage a well defined street based urban arrangement. The aspiration for a more urbane quality in the suburban environment seeks to address the often deficient situation typicaly found in suburban housing developments in Scotland.
Sustainable neighbourhoods are those which endure over time and adapt to the changing needs of society. Successful residential models exist, which have proven to be enduri...ng, in turn creating a strong sense of place and community. It is evident in the existing housing stock, particularly in areas where there is a high land value, that properties are adapted to suit market demands. The proposed housing types acknowledge this and are designed to accommodate extension or subdivision, either by residents in the future, or by the developer in response to changing market conditions.
A direct arrangement of types is demonstrated in a hypothetical masterplan situation, creating streets of distinct characteristics; tree lined terraced rows, avenues of villas and semi-detached dwellings.
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This project comprised the careful uncovering, restoration and partial reinstatement of a Victorian shop frontage and interior within a historic tenement building. Having been formerly stripped and fitted out during the 1970s, the unit was in a poor state of repair and lying vacant. The client wanted to use their tenancy to restore the dignity of the tenement, and to lead by example in terms of streetscape enhancement within Kirkintilloch’s dilapidated Townhead area.
Original... ceiling roses, cornicing and decorative ventilation grilles were uncovered above suspended ceilings, and an oversized signboard was removed to expose what remained of the original frontage. Through examining and recording the existing, we prepared drawings for reinstatement of the missing moulded timber profiles and stall risers. The reinstated fabric was seamlessly integrated by conservation experts Timber & Lime.
Internally the unit has been given back its Victorian character, lost to the previous conversion, with original tongue and groove wall linings restored or reinstated where missing, along with reclaimed pine floorboards and repaired plasterwork. A new sash and case window looking onto the back court was installed to match the original design, which was measured from those remaining at the neighbouring properties.
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Urban research and discourse in recent decades has attempted to promote a so called “return to the city”. This has aimed to re-appropriate the urban core as a place of dwelling, following an exodus to the suburbs or modernist high-rise developments. An ambition to reclaim the urban block as the dominant urban model is evident, and the city is therefore equated. It is striking however that although some sizeable new districts comprised of block plans have been constructed in G...lasgow, a coherent piece of city has not. It is at this point that our design approach is positioned: our work is concerned with continuity in the physical character of the city’s buildings. How might a coherent urban architecture for Glasgow be rediscovered?
Late Victorian Glasgow tenements defined an incredibly singular expression, transforming swathes of agrarian land to enduring city, in a period of around forty years. Implementation of a single type across such vast areas suggests an ability to adjust in response to specific spatial and economic demands, while retaining an archetypical structure. The consistency in architectural grammar evident in the Victorian tenement relies on common elements, such as the characteristic projecting bay window. Through repetition, rhythmic modelling establishes an urbane language capable of successfully articulating continuous streetscapes. Adaptation of this grammar permits variety and differentiation between developments, streets and districts.
This project seeks to reappropriate the enduring characteristics of the Glasgow tenement, while acknowledging the ever changing requirements and expectations of contemporary urban dwelling. Our work seeks to identify a language capable of making coherent new pieces of city, and one which remains embedded within existing traditions. We argue that commonality among urban buildings is an essential element in most successful urban places. Commonality, the state of sharing features and attributes, is a defining characteristic of the existing city, and is a quality which is lacking in many recent urban developments. We propose that the traditional set of repetitive common elements can be redefined, and that by adapting and developing these parameters, it is possible to form the basis of a coherent language, in continuity with the existing city and reflective of contemporary society.
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