This Rural Scottish Home Features a Sculptural Wooden Staircase

For this remote home in a conservation area of Aberdeen, Scotland, architectural practice Brown & Brown has crafted a statement staircase from layers of Birch plywood.

Designed in collaboration with a local craft studio Angus & Mack, the spiral steps make for a focal point inside the home, which was been conceived with nature in mind. Each of its timber treads were individually cut and hand layered into a satisfyingly smooth curving form.

Outside, the home has been clad in Larch wood, enabling it to work in harmony with the surrounding landscape. It makes use of a tree-lined plot, on which a stone farm building used to stand. Much of the existing masonry from the site has been used to create a boundary wall, as a nod to the site’s past.

Huge double-height windows allow light to flood the two-floors, and allow for uninterrupted views from inside. With the intention of the home becoming a space for entertaining, a custom chef’s kitchen was installed, and is backed by a wall clad in slate panels conceals a back of house kitchen with floor to ceiling storage.

Throughout, salvaged and recycled materials have been prioritised – resulting in a timeless aesthetic but also a home that feels lived-in and connected to its landscape. “The Arbor House is a modern home in harmony with its surroundings,” the architects said. “We worked with the natural topography of the site to create a secret retreat, tucking the volume of the home in deeper points of the plot to reduce its presence on the street. The original window apertures from the old cottage offer small glimpses into the cloister and courtyard, adding layers and intrigue to the home.”

Take a look around the home above, and for more architecture – check out the home of Kiss Bassist Gene Simmons’, which has recently gone on the market for $48M USD.