AN exciting new project by award-winning Aberdeenshire architect Annie Kenyon, which will see a ruinous 18thcentury Category B listed steading converted into six unique family homes, has been shortlisted for this year’s prestigious Scottish Design Awards.
Established more than 25 years ago, the Scottish Design Awards celebrate class-leading work, best practice, sustainability, and innovation in all its forms across architecture and design.
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Annie’s project to save and secure the long-term future of Mains of Carnousie near Turriff, once described as one of Scotland’s finest home farms, is one of only five finalists from across the country in the Future Building or Project category.
Built in 1797 by General Patrick Tiger Duff, a local farmer’s son who rose through the ranks of the military to become commander of the East India Company’s Artillery, before returning to his native North-east Scotland, Mains of Carnousie is listed as high risk and in poor condition in the Buildings at Risk register.
“It’s a real honour to be shortlisted for these awards,” said Annie. “The opportunity to preserve this beautiful structure which has been a prominent feature in the local landscape for more than 200 years has been a long-held ambition and I’m very pleased that we are now preparing to start work. The design plans will retain all the elegant and classical features of this historic building, while giving it a new lease of life as it moves to the next chapter in its history.”
The restoration and conversion plans will see the preservation of the fabric of the building, with its soaring tower and adjoining buildings built round a large, enclosed central courtyard, converted into six homes, each one retaining and incorporating aspects of the historic structure including the seven arched cart sheds, the windows in the two-storey building and the towers.
To support the restoration project, an enabling development which will create a small community of 15 new, architect-designed, energy efficient homes will be built nearby. It is hoped that work on the first phase of the project will begin in 2023.
The awards ceremony will be held in Glasgow on Wednesday 29 June.
