Architects Datafile (ADF) – June 2019

off-the-shelf roof trusses and having them
extend to these areas to construct the
building’s superstructure the design produced
significant cost savings of around £20,000-
30,000, and reduced construction
time considerably.
Integra House took nine months in
total to build; three months longer than
anticipated because there was no main
contractor. Instead, a separate contractor
was used for the groundworks, another for
the joinery, and Deveci got hands-on, doing
the plumbing and electricity himself.
“Workmanship was difficult, and a bit
more time-intensive,” Deveci admits.
In addition to specifying budgetary
constraints, the client was, says Deveci,
“very involved.” Weekly meetings were
arranged over coffee to which “she
would always bring a magazine and try
to hint that there were certain aspects
that she liked and didn’t like.” The
architect compiled a wish-list of features
which included a wood-burning stove
and far-reaching views from the
kitchen and living area over the
Aberdeenshire countryside.
In order to retain the monolithic aesthetic
of the building provided by the timber
cladding, Deveci also specified a drainage
system whereby rainwater flows through the
timber cladding on the roof via thin slits,
down a corrugated iron roof beneath and

into a hidden gutter. “I didn’t want a plastic

or metal gutter; it would have been a much

less elegant solution.”

There were already agricultural sheds and

stables around the site, and the ageing of the

materials plus the shape of the plan make the

house look “almost agricultural in nature,”

says Deveci, “particularly to the north of the

scheme, where there are very few openings in

the house’s external envelope.”

In terms of acoustics, Integra House is

well-suited to the building’s intended

function. “My client is single – if there were

others in the house then there may have been

some challenges.” According to the architect,

the double height spaces tend to create some

constraints when it comes to acoustic

performance: “It’s best to have some kind of

mass in an all timber-framed house.” The

internal organisation of the building was

impacted by the gable ends in that first floor

space was particularly tight due to truss wind

load calculations, and there was also a need

to be conscious of the direction of the stairs

leading up to the attic space, which had to

run parallel to the trusses.

Green on green

The truss is made from standard

structural grade soft wood, the external

cladding is 45 mm thick Siberian larch

“which does not require external treatment,”

and the insulation is partly wood fibre. which

TIMBER

The building’s entire structure and insulation is

composed of timber

Using off-the-shelf roof

trusses and extending them

to construct the building’s

superstructure produced

significant cost savings

PROJECT REPORT: SELFBUILD & CUSTOM BUILD PROJECTS 39

ADF JUNE 2019 WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK