Loft 1 – HighMill Court

Brief
The original brief for this project was to create a modern apartment within the existing shell of a 19th century former Jute Mill. The apartment had to be designed to contrast with the Italianate grandeur of the existing building whilst utilising and incorporating the original features of the unit such as the cast iron columns and barrel vaulted ceilings.

Design
The existing shell was located in the ground floor of the grade “A” listed property and was formerly the engine room for the Mill. We felt it was important that our design should reflect the building’s industrial nature whilst adapting the space to modern open plan living. This was achieved through the insertion of a new mezzanine level constructed with exposed steel and glass. The kitchen and living areas were located under with further living/bedroom accommodation on the mezzanine. A central “tower” housing the sanitary and service accommodation was used to separate the living areas from the 2 bedrooms.

Construction
There was a consensus among the design team that the structural elements should not be hidden especially as the existing structure had been so strongly expressed more than a hundred years ago. We felt it was also important to utilise a fairly modest palette of materials including oak, glass and steel.
The existing columns were used to support the mezzanine and a bespoke staircase was made locally in mild steel and glass. Careful consideration was given to the lighting of the project, the lighting had to do the space justice but (as the ceiling height in some of the spaces is in excess of 5 metres) be accessible for maintenance.
The project was awarded a “Commendation” from the “Dundee Institute of Architects” in the “Best Interior Design” category.