Grand Designs spotlight set to fall on Zinc House

ARCHITECTURE TV show Grand Designs is shining the spotlight next week on a rural dwelling designed by Professor Graeme Hutton of Dundee University.

Zinc House, near Monikie, is in the running for the Grand Designs/RIBA Best House in Britain 2016 award.

Professor Hutton and architecture firm Leadingham Jameson Rohers + Hynd designed the property, which is constructed with a steel and timber frame, insulated by blockwork and clad in zinc.

The large, south-facing windows and glass doors flood the property with natural light and afford views right across Fife and almost as far south as Edinburgh.

The materials and colours used mean the 500sq/m, four-bedroom property blends in with its surroundings. An array of solar panels generate electricity to ensure minimal energy use and low running costs.

“We are not about one-off fancy villas,” Professor Hutton said.

“We are interested in creating a language for houses in the Scottish landscape, the results of which might be quiet and modest.

“It is not about making a statement. The agricultural landscape of Angus was the inspiration for Zinc House.

“The colour was selected to match the chlorite mineral that characterises the local stone.”

Twenty properties from across the UK have been nominated for the Best House in Britain award, with each being showcased throughout the current series of Grand Designs.

The winner will be announced on December 15.

The Dundee University/LJR+H partnership has already received a Royal Incorporation of Architects In Scotland Award and a Best Residence prize in the Scottish Design Awards for Zinc House, which will feature on the Channel 4 show next Thursday at 9pm.

Zinc House, near Monikie.