Wilson Paul Award-Winning Chartered Architects In Dundee
Project / The Hill House, Broughty Ferry. New build home on steeply sloping site.
Client / Private (Planning Approved)
Description
The Hill House turns a challenging hillside site into the defining feature of a bespoke home. Set within the established garden grounds of Woodcroft in Broughty Ferry, the three-bedroom house is designed for clients seeking a smaller home for retirement, tailored to their lifestyle and their longstanding connection to the setting.
Within the West Ferry Conservation Area, the steep gradient, neighbouring properties and mature landscape called for a carefully considered response. Our approach began with understanding these relationships: how to preserve privacy and existing outlooks while bringing daylight, garden connections and views across the River Tay into the new home.
The key move was to embed part of the lower floor into the hillside. This allows both storeys to meet the landscape at different levels, reducing the building’s apparent height from the higher ground and helping to protect views from the existing house. Low rooflines follow the site’s contours, while a projecting upper living space cantilevers towards the garden, opening up views towards the Tay. The main kitchen, dining and living spaces occupy the upper level, where generous glazing captures the southern outlook. A wraparound balcony and stepped terrace connect these rooms to the garden, creating places for outdoor dining and relaxation along the slope. Bedrooms occupy the quieter lower level, with the principal bedroom opening onto a sheltered veranda.
Materials reinforce the building’s relationship with the hillside. Stone and render give the lower floor a solid base, while timber cladding, slender screens and broad areas of glazing bring a lighter character to the upper storey. Deep roof overhangs frame the views and provide shelter around the external living spaces. The environmental approach combines proposed green roofs, high levels of insulation and carefully oriented glazing. These measures aim to support biodiversity, reduce energy demand and soften the building’s appearance within the garden setting.
The Hill House demonstrates how thoughtful design can unlock a difficult site. Its form, layout and outdoor spaces emerge directly from the slope, creating a distinctive home shaped around its owners and the landscape they value.
