This stunning property sitting on the banks of Loch Awe in Argyll, Scotland, is the overall winner of the Daily Telegraph Homebuilding & Renovating awards 2014.
Homebuilding and Renovating award winners 2014
It is home for Mike and Ann Urwin, who commissioned the design from their architect Alastair MacIntyre, of McInnes Gardner.
The house took only eight months to build and came in at a budget of £500, 000, which is great on both counts.
The contemporary design of their house takes full advantage of it’s position in the landscape, with balconies and picture windows to maximize the south-facing views. As well as scooping the main prize Far Field house was the Readers Choice award too.
Take a look at the video below to see more of this fantastic house, the sympathetic use of materials and the way it sits in the landscape.
Daily Telegraph Homebuilding & Renovating awards 2014 – More winners
There are lots of other properties to admire in the other categories we provide a round up below:
Best Custom Build Project
Copper Lane, London
This property on Copper Lane is London’s first co-housing scheme.
Offering residential use, with a strong emphasis on community and sustainability, the concept is that the occupiers share daily activities and chores, such as preparing meals and cultivating the shared gardens, they also pool resources to share responsibility for childcare.
There are communal office spaces and laundry facilities to make better use of the space in the building and the design strategy makes the most of the external space, allowing the construction of value-for-money homes with more space and natural light than most city dwellings.
Best Eco Home
One the Orchard, Monmouthshire, Wales
This contemporary self-build four bedroom family house, took nearly 7 years to build, but by using very inexpensive and reclaimed materials it means the build came in at a budget of only £175,000.
It utilises passive energy systems designed to use no fossil energy, which will make it sustainable for generations to come.
Award for Residential Design
Uphill House, London
Originally the owners were intending to extend a 1970’s house but plans became more ambitious and finally switched to a new build to incorporate a number of eco-technologies using passive techniques and improved thermal performance.
The owners drew inspiration from their previous home in a Manhatten Loft apartment. This house reflects their preference for minimal modern architecture, with a high end finish using raw, industrial materials.
The project took two and a half years to complete.
Best Contemporary-style Home
The Nook, Monmouthshire, Wales
The owners wanted to build a family house which has a strong affinity with its rural setting. Fortunately they had a secluded spot to build and so they could utilise large areas of glazing to take advantage of the natural light and feeling of space that offered.
They sourced local materials, including stone from a quarry three miles away. The privacy of the plot means they have been able to use large expanses of glazing to flood the home with natural light.
This self build project cost £350,000 and took eleven months to complete.
Best Value for Money Project
Weir End, Surrey
As this house is built in a flood zone on the banks of the River Thames the floor level has been raised 2m off the ground.
The owners removed a derelict bungalofrom the site and the inspiration for the design was a tropical cricket pavillion including a veranda, venetian shutters and a large sheltering roof.
Unlike many of the other houses featured, which have chosen locally sourced materials, this home goes all out for an eclectic Art Deco Colonial style by sourcing materials and fixtures from around the world.
The build cost £350,000 and took 5 years to complete.
Best Timber Frame
Pea Cottage, Worcester, England
The owners built this home in just one year, and all for a very modest budget of £200,000.
The opportunity to build in Michael’s parents’ garden came up, and since he is the third generation of his family who grew up in the the village it was an opportunity not to be missed.
The tryle is very traditional country cottage, but the interior is light , spacious and has a modern feel.
Best Traditional-Style Home
Lantern House, Wiltshire, England
This house combines traditional architecture and modern living, and was built in under a year and a half.While the house is relatively compact it does have a generous entertaining space to allow the owners room for guests while making the home a manageable space for day to day living.
The house features high ceilings and the building has been designed to make the most of natural light throughout the day.
Best Extension/Remodel
Treetops, Northumberland, England
This home was originally a 1960’s house which has been remodeled to provide improved thermal performance and better environmental standards by utilising eco-friendly products such as solar PV panels, log burners and a ground source heat pump.
The project cost £300,000 and took 8 months to build. The design was inspired by a hunting lodge, set in the trees on what proved to be quite a challenging site.
Best Renovation
Stronvar Farm, Perth & Kinross, Scotland
This Grade B Listed Regency farm was originally the service building for nearby Stronvar House, at the heart of the old Carnegie Estate.
Taking 5 years and 5 months to build it is an Eco-conscious remodeling to retain the historical integrity of the house while providing 21st century living standards for the owners.
Best Conversion
Farningham House Cottage, Kent, England
One home created from a separate cottage, stable building and a workshop, cleverly joined using a glazed passageway to retain the integrity of all the separate components while making it a usable space for the owners.
Many of the original features have been retained and restored including internal timber panelling, the roof structure and the brick paving floor of the stables.
The build cost was £220,000 and took 2 years to complete.
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