New-build retirement home · Rural StirlingContemporary single-storey home in rural Stirling.

The architectural design brings together a series of interconnected volumes, combining flat-roofed stone elements with pitched zinc-clad wings to create a distinctive yet balanced composition.

Each volume helps define a different part of the home, giving the building a clear architectural identity while maintaining a low profile within the surrounding landscape.

The contrast between horizontal stone forms and pitched rooflines introduces depth and visual interest, creating a contemporary rural home that responds to its setting without competing with it.

A carefully selected palette of natural stone and vertical zinc cladding gives the home its distinctive contemporary character.

The combination balances the texture and permanence of stone with the clean lines and refined detailing of zinc, creating a considered relationship between traditional materials and modern residential architecture.

Both materials were selected for their durability, longevity and relatively low maintenance requirements, an important consideration when designing a home for later life in Scotland’s demanding climate.

The result is an exterior designed to weather gracefully, reducing the need for ongoing upkeep while maintaining its architectural character.

Expansive floor-to-ceiling glazing and large sliding glass doors maximise natural daylight and frame uninterrupted views across the surrounding countryside.

The open-plan living spaces connect directly to an outdoor terrace, creating a natural transition between inside and outside and allowing the landscape to become an integral part of everyday living.

This relationship between architecture, light and landscape gives the interior a sense of openness and generosity, while ensuring the home remains closely connected to its rural setting.

Inside, vaulted timber ceilings run the length of the main living spaces, rising to glazed gables that draw daylight deep into the plan.

A stone chimney breast anchors the living room, while a freestanding walnut unit divides the dining area from the lounge without closing off the view through the house.

Walnut joinery, timber floors and natural textiles carry the same restrained palette into the bedrooms, creating calm, comfortable rooms that are easy to live in for years to come.