Serendipity — and a passion for cricket — brought about Peter and Jennifer Drummond’s remarkable, award-winning new home at Meigle, set within a swathe of gently rolling Perthshire farmland. Instead of the tried-and-tested route of searching for a suitable site once the decision to take on their first self-build home was made, Drummond discovered the land behind his local cricket ground, two years ago. He found that the pitch led to a one-a-half-acre chunk of farmland, which the farmer was happy to sell.

So far, so simple. Designing the home, which the couple modestly call The Shed, was an altogether more ambitious and arduous undertaking. Yet the results — a meticulously detailed contemporary house — show it has been worth it.

“We didn’t want an ordinary house, we wanted something special,” says Pete, who owns a plumbing and engineering business, and who also took on the duties as main contractor of The Shed.

This desire for an unusual house led the couple to Graeme Hutton and David Jameson of the Dundee-based LJRH Architects, both of whom were also important figures at the Geddes Institute for Urban Research at the University of Dundee. Taking Peter’s sketches of “an open-plan house with loads of glass across two levels” as their starting point, the architects then took the concept one step further to create a contemporary version of a traditional agricultural barn.

“The landscape dictated the form of the house,” says Hutton. “The clues were all there. There was an existing Nissen hut on the site and a huge barn — which Peter now calls the garden shed. We took the Nissen hut away and put the house in its place.

“Agricultural buildings and farmhouses have a strong presence in the landscape — they sit bang down on the ground without any fuss — so I wanted to do a no-nonsense house in the same way,” he explains. “In fact, the biggest compliment I received was when it was described in print as a conversion of two existing buildings. I was flattered by that, even though it was clearly wrong, because that’s what I wanted to achieve with the design — something that was so deeply embedded in the site, that would make people think that it had always been there.”

The Shed may be no-nonsense, but its design is subtle and ingenious.

“I was interested in making the roof structures little buildings in their own right, with their own character and presence,” says Hutton. “Depending on the viewpoint, they can appear or disappear into the landscape, which looks flat but is actually gently rolling.

“The twisting of the roof was directed by the landscape, with the main roof pitching towards the hills beyond. This is also where the sun rises and sets, so this is where we’ve put the primary living space.”

The unusual roof form appears to curve and twist — so much so that a neighbour commented that Peter wouldn’t be happy, because his roof was falling in.

Hutton says that every rafter is straight. The curves are created by placing flat plates at slightly different angles to produce the twisting effect.

The whole idea was to keep it simple, says Hutton. “Peter was responsible for 90% of the construction himself — this is a true self-build from foundation to door handle, so I was keen that construction should echo simple, traditional agricultural buildings, using a steel fabricator and local builders and craftsmen,” he says.

“There’s a certain honesty and modesty about the building. Yet there is also innovation in the relationship between the building, the immediate landscape and the broader landscape, and in its use of materials.”

The zinc, glass and brick reflect the surrounding landscape: the brick matches the ploughed, tilled soil in the surrounding fields; the large areas of glazing, placed flush with the brickwork cladding, allow the seasons and the scenery both to appear as reflections and to flood into the interior. Finally, the piece-de-resistance zinc roof assumes the colour and texture of the sky — so much so that the house almost fades from view on dull days, and on sunny days it shimmers.

“I think the house is experimental in as much as it responds to the landscape in a formal sense, and not many buildings do that,” says Hutton.

Peter says the year-long design and planning process, followed by 18 months of construction, did cause a few grey hairs. “As we took on the role of main contractor ourselves, it meant loads of sleepless nights. It’s not easy if you’re running a business at the same time. With hindsight, I would have taken a year off.”

“But I wouldn’t change a thing,” says Jennifer, who was the driving force behind the interior layout and finishes. The result of the grey hairs and sleepless nights is a beautifully detailed house that complements the landscape, with an adjoining spacious studio/garage. The build cost for both was £350,000.

The main house is built on two levels and features an open-plan kitchen and dining area on ground level, which leads into a snug area hidden behind a “see-through” partition wall that includes the fireplace. The area culminates in the dramatic, double-height living space, which is overlooked by the open-plan master bedroom.

There is a guest bedroom at ground level, plus a further two bedrooms (one en-suite) and Jennifer’s dressing room and craft studio on the first floor.

“The only thing I wasn’t sure about, in terms of the design, was the open-plan master bedroom that overlooks the living area,” says Jennifer. “But I’m used to it now. And I love the sloping roof, as it means that every room upstairs in the roof space is different — nothing’s square and boring.”

Jennifer’s studio includes “a wee escape hatch” which leads to a sun-trap balcony. The balcony connects to the adjoining building, which houses a garage and Peter’s workspace. “Originally the plan was to have two separate buildings, but we decided to join the two via the glass balcony, which also doubles as a covered area at the backdoor, where we take can take off our muddy boots,” says Jennifer.

Her workspace also houses the operating system for the photovoltaic solar panels that provide hot water. The super-insulated and airtight (draught-free) house is proving to be a boon in terms of energy efficiency.

“We switched the gas supply off at the end of April, because the solar panels on the garage roof give us all the hot water we need, and the solar gain in the glazing provides enough heat,” says Jennifer.

As a result of The Shed’s eco-credentials — and great looks — it has recently picked up awards for design excellence, including a regional award from the Royal Institute of British Architects and a Scottish Design Award.

“It’s so unique,” says Peter. “We’ve noticed that people stop in their tracks when they spot the house, as they’re driving along the road. And we’ve found that people either like it or hate it. But it’s also the case that people who are not sure about its external appearance love it when they come inside. As for us, we wouldn’t have done anything differently.”

For more information visit: www.ljrh.co.uk and www.dundee.ac.uk/geddesinstitute/lwhutton.htm

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