The Old Ale & Porter House Extension in Tyninghame introduces a new single-storey timber studio within the curtilage of a historic property.
The project replaces two existing outbuildings with a carefully scaled addition that enhances the use of the garden while respecting the character of the listed setting.
Rather than competing with the original house, the new studio sits quietly alongside it. The design strengthens the relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces while maintaining the sense of enclosure within the site.
Design Approach
The studio adopts a simple and restrained form. Its roof profile aligns precisely with the height of the existing boundary wall, ensuring the new structure remains visually discreet when viewed from neighbouring properties and public viewpoints.
The building uses untreated Western Red Cedar to both walls and roof. Over time, the timber will weather naturally, allowing the extension to settle gently into its surroundings. This material strategy reinforces the project’s low-key architectural language.
Landscape & Setting
The extension reshapes the garden edge to create a sheltered and functional external space. A new gabion wall retains the upper garden level, improving stability while introducing a robust and honest landscape element.
Sandstone flagstones pave the yard area, providing a durable surface that complements the historic fabric of Tyninghame. Together, the studio and landscape works form a calm and cohesive composition.
Materials & Craft
Material selection prioritised longevity, simplicity, and tactile quality. Cedar cladding offers warmth and texture, while stone and steel elements ground the project within its rural coastal context.
Construction details remain deliberately understated. As a result, the extension reads as a quiet intervention rather than a statement building.
Outcome
The Old Ale & Porter House Extension delivers a modest yet highly considered addition. By replacing fragmented outbuildings with a single coherent studio, the project improves spatial clarity and usability across the site.
Ultimately, the extension demonstrates how contemporary architecture can sit comfortably within sensitive historic settings through scale, material restraint, and careful detailing.
Wood for Good – sustainable timber construction
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