Pend transforms overlooked infill site into mews homes that balance light and privacy
Architecture studio Pend has completed a pair of light-filled mews homes organised around private courtyards on a compact brownfield site in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Pend collaborated with local contractor Gloss Projects on the Canon Mews project, which aims to demonstrate how an intelligent, quality-led approach can help to maximise the potential of modest urban plots.
"Canon Mews presented a new opportunity for us as a practice," said Pend director Jamie Anderson of the studio's debut development project.
"Taking on the roles of both architect and developer enabled us to explore every stage of the design and development process, and to demonstrate our strong belief that architects are uniquely equipped to unlock constrained urban sites."
The pair of three-bedroom homes occupy an overlooked infill site situated within a row of existing mews properties in the city's Canonmills neighbourhood.
The studio set out to create a modern interpretation of the traditional mews typology by organising the homes around private courtyards that help to introduce natural light and provide framed external views.
The two-storey properties have internal floor areas of 111 and 135 square metres, with each home providing open-plan living areas along with three double bedrooms and an integrated garage.
The building envelopes utilise brick reclaimed from the site that was removed and cleaned before being reinstated to complement the appearance of the existing mews.
Round-edged bullnose bricks used at the entrances add a softer and more refined detail, while the timber-clad vestibules and garage doors echo the wooden frontages of the neighbours.
An upper storey set back slightly from the brick facade is clad in red zinc, providing a contemporary contrast to the reclaimed brickwork that recurs in the rear courtyard areas.
Each home has a ground-floor entrance hall and a lounge lined with full-height sliding doors that open onto the secluded outdoor spaces.
Staircases lead up to open kitchen and dining areas with adjoining terraces. Bedrooms at the rear look onto the courtyards, while those at the front feature dormer windows with views of the sky.
The design and construction of Canon Mews prioritises longevity and displays a level of attention to detail that aims to set the properties apart from typical new-build housing.
The internal material palette aims to achieve a balance of refinement and robustness, with hard-wearing porcelain tiles used throughout the ground floor and staircases with solid timber treads complementing the wooden floorboards on the upper level.
Anderson claimed that the collaboration with Gloss Projects and independent real estate agency Niksen helped to facilitate a consistent focus on quality and a bespoke outcome at every stage of the project.
He added that this holistic approach to delivering new build homes will inform the studio's future work and could serve as a model for other urban development projects.
"With Canon Mews, we hope to open a broader conversation about the potential of small urban sites, prioritising thoughtful densification, material quality and everyday domestic delight," he explained.
"It stands as our own study in how to develop bespoke housing solutions and signals a direction we're excited to continue pursuing."
Pend focuses on delivering functional, joyful and expertly crafted architectural projects, with previous examples including a fluted, stone-clad extension to a Georgian farmhouse in East Lothian, and a curved-brick extension to semi-detached property in Edinburgh.
The photography is by Lorenzo Zandri.
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