Designed for a retired couple on a leafy plot on Royal Deeside, this contemporary split-level home employs a combination of local stone and CLT, to sit comfortably upon a steeply sloping site.

Harmony House was designed for clients seeking to start a new chapter in a home that would offer serenity and privacy, while making full use of the steep topography of the site. Crafted from locally sourced stone and prefabricated cross-laminated timber (CLT), the house emerges as a vertical triptych of stone, light, under a floating planar roof. This thoughtful combination allows the home to harmoniously blend into its surroundings while making a striking architectural statement.

Challenging conventional notions of downsizing, which is often associated with compromise in design and space, Brown & Brown took a creative approach to the site’s natural elevation. The upside-down, split-level layout elevates the social spaces into the treetops, creating a sense of openness and connection to nature.

Upon entering the home, visitors are greeted by a dramatic double-height atrium finished in raw, exposed CLT panels. This central space, designed with carefully considered acoustics to accommodate the clients’ grand piano, serves as the heart of the home, visually and functionally connecting the lower private areas with the airy, open-plan social spaces above. The visual lightness of the CLT complements the robust, grounded presence of the local stone, creating a dynamic yet balanced interplay between natural materials.

Sustainability was a driving force in the design of Harmony House. The use of CLT not only reduces the building’s embodied carbon footprint but also contributes to the home’s natural warmth and character. Passive solar design, combined with the thermal mass of the stone, allows the house to be heated primarily by natural means, with an air-source heat pump and heat recovery system used to provide the little space heating required to deal with the Scottish winters. The split-level design ensures that each space enjoys optimal light and ventilation, while also offering moments of retreat and privacy within the home.

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