In 2012 we were commissioned to design a new house in west Edinburgh on a steep site. Bounded by large houses close by on either side but with a good outlook to the south we designed a house that is almost invisible from the street; a stone wall with a gate leading into a courtyard. Through the front door you find yourself at the top of a three storey lightwell and then drop down into the house with living accommodation on the mid-level and bedrooms at the bottom garden floor. The terraced arrangement allows light to be brought into the house from various directions and connections between the inside spaces and the garden to be made at each level of the house.

The plan is organized around a light-filled central lightwell that links the three levels of the house via a dramatic cantilevering staircase. Air-source heat pumps and high levels of insulation and air-tightness allow the house to be extremely energy efficient.