ostro // passivhaus

This new build passivhaus (passive house) home is located within the historical conservation village of Kippen, near Stirling. The site was a large south facing plot, featuring a small burn, and facing woodland and fields to the west and south. The house enjoys a semi-rural setting and is clad in naturally weathered timber to reflect the woodland that it faces. The project is an exemplar low-energy home: as well as achieving Passivhaus Certification, the proposal meets the demanding requirements of the Technical Standards Section 7: Sustainability Gold Level.

The design for the house is based on the concept of a 'box within a box'. The inner box is conceived as a homogenous sculptural form that is present in every space; it contains all of the wet services and circulation and serves the other spaces. The outer box is a rainscreen of naturally weathered timber cladding with vertically orientated, punched out triple glazed openings, orientated on a north-south axis. The rooms exist as spaces between the inner and outer boxes. This project is another example of our passion for encouraging contemporary architecture in the rural context. See our haus blog for more detailed information on the build process.

Structural Engineer: CDP Ltd.

Photography: David Barbour

Allan Murray, Allan Murray Design, chair of the Scottish Design Awards 2022 said:
“It sends all the right messages about energy. The architect is driving an idea forward. It's full of light, and beautiful spaces and energy kicks it into the clear blue water.” A clear winner, there are lots of strong points we should be pushing as a profession. The brief addresses how we live. There's a narrative inside with the dark stair core. I like the plan. Passivhaus has been a mock vernacular. This is innovative in the modern tradition”