Latest news with #HillsideHouse
Daily Record
05-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
'Eyesore' primary school in Cumnock is set to be demolished
Plans have been lodged to level the site after the school buildings were labelled surplus to requirements and an 'eyesore.' The former Greenmill Primary School in Cumnock's Barrhill Road is to be completely demolished, under new proposals. Ayrshire Live can reveal that plans have been lodged to level the site after the school buildings were labelled surplus to requirements and an 'eyesore.' Attempts were made to see if the community could take on the site, but its size proved problematic and plans to sell the site also proved fruitless. Now it appears that the entire site will be cleared after East Ayrshire Council announced proposals for its demolition. Agents in the proposals are Wylie Shanks Architects who said in a statement: 'East Ayrshire Council have no need for the school since it has been replaced by the Barony Campus in 2021. 'It has in the interim been used temporarily by another primary school. Given the building was surplus it has been offered to community groups however no community groups had a need for a building of that size. The site has been marketed for sale, yet no offers have been made over a reasonable period on the market. The site is noted in the Local Development Plan as being recommended for a residential development with the existing buildings reused. 'The building has been kept in use up until earlier this year, since then it appears repairs have been outpaced by vandalism. Efforts have been made to sell the building but this has not proved successful.' The agents also claim that the building, in its current structural condition, would require 'extensive refurbishment' in order to be brought back into use. And the works associated with this would be 'costly' and would 'not be commercially viable.' Their statement adds: 'It is our view that whilst the building could contribute somewhat positively to the townscape were it to be redeveloped, the vandalism that has already taken place is beginning to turn it into an eyesore which will quickly start to detract from the area. 'In the event of a fire the building could pose a serious risk to the public. 'Were the building to be demolished the site would be a more commercially attractive development opportunity that could return the site to residential use as supported in the Local Development Plan.' A decision on the demolition proposals is expected in due course. Greenmill Primary was last used as a temporary home for Netherthird Primary School before it moved to its new facility in February 2024. The building has been vacant since then and has suffered from vandalism, including broken windows, internal damage and attempted fires. Before becoming Greenmill Primary the site was home to Hillside House, built in 1846 it was a grand villa set in extensive gardens. Cumnock Public School would later be opened in 1847 at the other side of Barrhill Road, opposite Hillside House. Over the years as the number of students increased various extensions were added but the requirements of the school kept outgrowing the buildings. In 1909 after Margret Crichton, the owner of Hillside House died, the site was purchased by the School Board and the house was converted into an educational building. In 1926 an annex was opened, after which in 1927 it became Cumnock Academy. Another wing was added in 1939 at which time Hillside house was demolished. In 1969 Cumnock Academy moved to a newbuild school on Ayr Road and the building became Greenmill Primary School.
Business Times
30-04-2025
- General
- Business Times
A home that's lean and green
[SINGAPORE] After completing architecture school in 1988, Singaporean architect Lim Cheng Kooi joined W Architects, where he came under the tutelage of the late Singapore pioneer architect William Lim. 'I worked there for only five years, but I learnt a lot,' shares Lim. His first project – the extension of the Central Market in Kuala Lumpur – even won an award. After that chapter, he moved on to start his own practice with a few friends, designing larger-scale projects for the next 12 years. In 2006, he left to establish AR43 Architects on his own, building his oeuvre of houses that present clear architectural ideas. They are reflected in the names of his projects, such as Hillside House, Pavilion House, and most recently The Long House – designed for a couple and their three adult children aged from 18 to 26. As its name suggests, the house takes on a linear trajectory. The architecture traces the long and narrow site, measuring 10 m wide and 53 m in length. The challenge then was how to mitigate the monotony of moving through the long plan. There was also the need for privacy from adjacent road junctions and the neighbouring house that, like in most neighbourhoods, was just several metres away. The facade facing the neighbour with privacy screens. PHOTO: MARC TAN, STUDIO PERIPHERY 'Our approach amplifies this linearity through a series of strategically placed cut-outs along the façade, carving out courtyards of various scales,' says Lim. 'These voids not only introduce natural light, they create layered internal vistas, blurring the boundaries between built and unbuilt spaces, while integrating soft landscapes throughout.' A second, more casual dining space for the family. PHOTO: MARC TAN, STUDIO PERIPHERY He wrapped the second storey and attic with a continuous vertical aluminium screen. 'It is tilted at an angle so that when the family members look out, they don't see the neighbours directly,' says Lim. Perforated brickwork, timber screens and Glass Fibre Reinforced Concrete were all explored, but aluminium offered the most versatility and cost-effectiveness, along with the desired level of opacity and expressiveness. A tearoom-cum-family room with a courtyard view. PHOTO: MARC TAN, STUDIO PERIPHERY The intersecting courtyards in the long plan create a feeling of space. 'Despite their compact size, the courtyards and planters are designed to maximise the perception of depth and volume, allowing the lush greenery to be a part of the interior living spaces,' says Lim. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up Each bathroom has a view of a small garden. PHOTO: MARC TAN, STUDIO PERIPHERY Even the bathrooms look out to small gardens. 'I don't want that feeling where you are staying on the upper floors and there are no plants,' adds Lim. 'We even try to implement this concept for most of our houses now. We want to have gardens everywhere.' 'Floating' staircase gives a feeling of lightness. PHOTO: MARC TAN, STUDIO PERIPHERY In order not to create a large 'obstacle' that would block the visual flow through the narrow section, the staircase was designed as a floating structure along the party wall on the first storey, lit by a skylight above. Beneath, Lim added a display platform to turn this leftover space into a focal point. The living area with the bar counter where the son mixes drinks for his family. PHOTO: MARC TAN, STUDIO PERIPHERY Another standout feature on the first storey is the sleek bar counter cladded with dark stones. Lim muses that this was a vital part of the brief, as the eldest and only son had trained as a bartender before entering university, and enjoyed the 'action' behind the counter. It has professional-grade storage and display, with LED-lit shelving, a chiller and an ergonomically optimised working height for preparing and serving drinks. 'Spanning nearly 4.5 m, the counter was designed with a cantilevered section extending one third of its length beyond the base to create a sense of weightlessness and refinement,' explains Lim. This is where the son, in his mid-20s, prepares drinks like Manhattan, Last Word, Singapore Sling, and Blood and Sand for his family, shares the owner. The businessman adds, 'The children like the seamless adjoining layout of the living, dining and bar counter very much. It makes interaction with the family easier, and we spend much more quality time together.' The master bedroom lounge features fluted timber panels. PHOTO: MARC TAN, STUDIO PERIPHERY The family enjoy the cocktail sessions so much that there is another bar counter in the couple's lounge next to their bedroom. 'As night falls, the family gathers in the master bedroom lounge, where conversation unfolds over bespoke drinks prepared by the son,' says Lim. This is clearly a close-knit family. Lim shares that the couple gave the best spots in the house for their children's bedrooms at the front of the house and were happy to have theirs tucked at the rear. Entertainment spaces look out to the rooftop pool. PHOTO: MARC TAN, STUDIO PERIPHERY But there are many inviting spaces for everyone. The largest lounge area at roof-level opens out to a 22-metre-long pool. 'The two older children were competitive swimmers in school, while the youngest daughter was a water polo player,' explains Lim on the request for a pool long enough for serious swimming. While it was not considered when the owner bought the plot, that was one more good thing that came out of the long plan.
