The billionaire Asos owner’s Scottish crofter’s cottage has been long-listed for House of the Year 2021 alongside a renovated village school and bizarre home-within-a-home.
Kyle House in Sutherland, owned by the wife of Denmark’s richest man Anders Holch Povlsen, is in the running for the Royal Institute of British Architect’s annual competition – with the winner set to be revealed on the sixth series of Channel 4’s Grand Designs later this year.
The cottage is hundreds of years old and was derelict before it was transformed by Anne Storm Pederson into a holiday home featuring ‘monastic simplicity’ and a ‘humble use of materials’.
Photographs showing the inside of the house reveal oak and concrete throughout the minimalistic one-bedroom property. A window seat in the living room offers stunning views across the Scottish moorland and a large bathroom with a tub by the window again allows holidaymakers to enjoy a view of the surrounding countryside.
Mrs Pederson said: ‘We aren’t trying to import Danish taste into Scotland, but to work with what’s there, what fits, what’s traditional. If there’s a craftsman in Scotland who makes great small stools we embrace it.’
The competition’s jury is made up of the chairman of architecture firm Groupwork Amin Taha, co-founder of Ash Sakula Architects, Cany Ash, and the 2019 winner, co-founder of McGonigle McGrath, Kieran McGonigle.
Kyle House (pictured) in Sutherland, owned by the wife of Denmark’s richest man Anders Holch Povlsen, is in the running for the Royal Institute of British Architect’s annual competition – with the winner set to be revealed on the sixth series of Channel 4’s Grand Designs later this year
Elsewhere in the 20-strong shortlist is a Grade II Listed former school (pictured) in a small village close to Malton, North Yorkshire. When the old school is viewed from the road it looks just as it did in its hey-day, but photographs showing the back of the house reveal a large extension
Also on the line-up is a ‘home within a home’ (pictured) in London – where the architect designed a ‘skin’ to be built around an existing two-storey 1960s home constructed in a space left behind by World War Two bomb damage
Photographs showing the inside of the house reveal oak and concrete throughout the minimalistic one-bedroom property. A window seat in the living room offers stunning views across the Scottish moorland and a large bathroom with a tub by the window again allows holidaymakers to enjoy a view of the surrounding countryside
Kyle House has one-bedroom on the first floor. On the ground floor is a kitchen-dining room on one side, and a living room with a window seat on the other
At Kyle House a large window offers views over the surrounding Scottish countryside. The holiday cottage can be rented for a minimum of five nights at £1,680
Kyle House’s simplistic design features materials made out of concrete and wood. Right, the surrounding countryside
The renovated cottage features a contemporary design throughout with simple materials and windows to let in plenty of light
The upstairs area has a bedroom and bathroom, with a tub overlooking the surrounding countryside. The oak panelling offers a minimalistic feel that contrasts with the dark black of the bathtub
The kitchen area has a large window to allow those cooking or washing up to enjoy views of the countryside. The design in the kitchen echoes the contemporary minimalism of the other rooms
Outside the house is decorated with a simple wooden bench to allow those staying at the holiday cottage to enjoy the outside space and country air
A relatively small living room offers a cosy feel to the space, with a large window allowing those inside to look at the surrounding moorland while relaxing on the window seat
They said Kyle house, which can be rented out for a minimum of five nights at £1,680, was an ‘exquisitely simple, elegant, and architecturally luxurious holiday cottage’, and added: ‘The central stair and cloakroom, a new intervention in the centre of the plan, has been carefully considered and executed with a level of care usually reserved for fine cabinetry.’
Elsewhere in the 20-strong shortlist is a Grade II Listed former school in a small village close to Malton, North Yorkshire.
When the old school is viewed from the road it looks just as it did in its hey-day, but photographs showing the back of the house reveal a large extension. The front of the house, which used to function as the classroom, is now a family room with a double-height ceiling in places.
Anders Holch Povlsen, 48, pictured with his wife Anne, is Scotland’s richest man with around 220,000 acres of the Highlands under his control after he started buying up some of the country’s grandest estates 14 years ago
Povlsen and his wife Anne, 43, has formed a ‘200-year vision’ for their estates, which involves rewilding the land. Pictured, the couple’s Scottish holdings, including Kyle House in Sutherland
The competition’s jury is made up of the chairman of architecture firm Groupwork Amin Taha (left), co-founder of Ash Sakula Architects, Cany Ash, and the 2019 winner, co-founder of McGonigle McGrath, Kieran McGonigle (right)
House of the Year 2021 long-list Corner House (London) by 31/44 Architects;Devon Passivhaus (Devon) by McLean Quinlan;Grain House (London) by Hayhurst & Co Architects;Harbour House (Hampshire) by John Pardey Architects;House for Theo and Oskar (Surrey) by Tigg + Coll Architects;House in Assynt (Sutherland, Scotland) by Mary Arnold-Forster Architects;House on the Hill (Gloucestershire) by Alison Brooks Architects;House-within-a-House (London) by alma-nac;Hove House (Brighton) by Turner Works;Kyle House (Sutherland, Scotland) by Groves-Raines Architect;The Modern Oast (Kent) by ACME;The Old School (Yorkshire) by Arkle Boyce Architects;The Outfarm (Devon) by TYPE Studio;Pele Tower House (Cumbria) by Woollacott Gilmartin Architects;River House (Berkshire) by John Pardey Architects;Simple House (Cambridge) by Haysom Ward Miller Architects;The Slot House (London) by Sandy Rendel Architects with Sally Rendel;The Water Tower (Norfolk) by Tonkin Liu;Weybridge House (Surrey) by Wilkinson King Architects;Wolds Barn (Yorkshire) by ID Architecture.
An existing spiral staircase was used to access the extension using a ‘glazed link’, which the competition jury said ‘works well’. The extension, which features a kitchen-diner, ‘creates a fantastic viewing platform to the south of the site, looking out over fields’.
Also on the line-up is a ‘home within a home’ in London – where the architect designed a ‘skin’ to be built around an existing two-storey 1960s home constructed in a space left behind by World War Two bomb damage.
In glistening praise of the build, the jury wrote: ‘One can feel the stress of everyday life start to recede the moment one enters the front garden of this charming three-storey, six-bed, detached family home in a conservation area.’
The ‘skin’ brings the building up to contemporary standards by adding an element of insulation, ‘wrapping the retained external walls in a thick warm coat’, according to the jury.
The jury added: ‘The composition of the elevations, having retained a lot of the original opening, is very pleasing, poetic and fluid. Combined with the pale grey colour of the brick cladding, the overall effect is respectful of its context and nicely restrained, communicating in a beautiful whisper.’
Another interesting property in the long-list is a converted water tower in Norfolk owned by a photographer, which features a ground floor kitchen-dining room, two floors of bedrooms and an upper living-dining-kitchen tank room at the top.
At the top of the structure those inside can enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding countryside because of a ribbon window around three sides, neatly cut through the middle of the tank. A rooflight offers views of the sky.
Another building on the list is a river-side home in Wargrave, which sits on a flood plain and features a dinghy in case of flooding. The jury wrote: ‘This is without a doubt a beautiful house and worthy of a RIBA Award.’
The Outfarm in Devon is a rediscovered barn conversion, Corner House in London implements Victorian elements from surrounding homes, Grain House in London has a two-storey courtyard in its centre, Simple House in Cambridge is completely hidden from neighbours behind a large wall and House on the Hill in Lydney is farmhouse transformed into a home and a gallery of Indian and African sculpture.
Elsewhere, The Slot House in London is a tiny home made large by clever design, Pele Tower House in Cumbria turned a 14th century ruin into a modern home, House for Theo and Oskar in Surrey was transformed to meet the complex needs of two disabled children and Devon Passivhaus in Exeter featured a ‘secret garden’.
Corner House in London takes Victorian elements from its surrounding houses including blind windows and cornices. It also has an area that from the outside looks like a rear conservatory but is actually a bedroom
The front of the old school, which used to function as the classroom, is now a family room with a double-height ceiling in places and a spiral staircase that leads to the top levels of the home
House-Within-a-House repairs the Victorian street that suffered bomb damage during World War II and had housed a nondescript building built in the 1960s
At House within a House the inside features modern decor, with a large kitchen island dominating the centre of the kitchen and a floor to ceiling window letting in light
The outer layer of the house acts as a shell to keep the space warmer and better insulate the original 1960s building
From the outside the grey brick offers a modern feel, with contemporary windows separating House within a House from its older neighbours
Pele Tower House in Cumbria turned a 14th century ruin into a modern home. The jury said: ‘Considerable love and care have gone into the works’
Grain House in London is a re-modelled and extended semi-detached house in Hackney. It takes an old home and reimagines it in a contemporary setting to make the perfect place for a family to grow
Harbour House in Hayling Island seemed to disappoint the jury, who described it as filled with ‘opportunity for drama and disappointment’ with a large window offering a view of a toilet block.
Meanwhile, House of Assynt in Perthshire offers a minimal impact on the surrounding nature, according to the jury, and is difficult to reach on a small road.
Mr Povlsen, who owns more land than the Queen and has bought up large chunks of Scotland with the aim of rewilding the countryside, will find out later this year if Kyle House has been shortlisted.
The humble Danish retail mogul, 48, worth £6.1billion but known for liking a whisky down the pub and driving a bashed up VW Golf, is Scotland’s richest man with around 220,000 acres of the Highlands under his control after he started buying up some of the country’s grandest estates 14 years ago.
Povlsen became enchanted with Scotland when one summer in the 1980s he went fly fishing in the Scottish Highlands with his parents and brother.
Some have called it the most expensive family holiday in history because three decades later he has spent £100million quietly turning himself into a real-life Monarch of the Glen.
Another building on the list is a river-side home in Wargrave, which sits on a flood plain and features a dinghy in case of flooding. The jury wrote: ‘This is without a doubt a beautiful house and worthy of a RIBA Award’
Harbour House in Hayling Island seemed to disappoint the jury, who described it as filled with ‘opportunity for drama and disappointment’ with a large window offering a view of a toilet block
Minimalistic and contemporary Harbour House offers views out of floor-to-ceiling windows onto the water
Hove House in Brighton has a large courtyard in its centre with a swimming pool and plenty of outdoors space
The living room of Hove House allows its occupants plenty of light through large sliding doors which offer and inside outside feel to the space
With his wife Anne, 43, they have formed a ‘200-year vision’ for their estates, which involves rewilding the land. In the vision, Povlsen said he planned to pass the estate along to his four children and that they would continue his work.
But their dream was hit by tragedy when three of their four children were killed in the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka in 2018. Alfred, Alma and Agnes all died. Only their youngest daughter, Astrid, then ten, survived the attacks and the couple said that they remain ‘genuinely grateful’ that she is still alive.
It comes after Mr Povlsen had an application for listed building consent granted by the Highland Council, with stringent conditions.
Included in that plan is the restoration of two boathouses, the ruins of which are visible on the banks of Loch Ness. They are originally thought to have been built in the 19th century when Aldourie Castle was expanded.
Evidence from the turn of the 20th century shows a heather thatched open timber boathouse protected by a palisaded timber fence. Wooden stakes that one former boathouse used to float on can still be seen in the water, while the concrete plinth is all that remains of the other.
House in Assynt in Perthshire was described as an ‘unforgettable’ experience by the jury. Pictured, the hallway leading to the living room shows the large windows and incredible views
House in Assynt is located in the middle of nowhere, with only a small and inaccessible road leading up to it. It’s outer shell means the building virtually blends into its surrounding countryside
House on the Hill in Lydney is farmhouse transformed into a home and a gallery of Indian and African sculpture
An application was put in earlier this year by the Aldourie Castle Estate for listed building consent to recreate the two structures, using a timber frame, corrugated iron roof, with one of the floating pontoons including a sauna and changing room.
The other was to include space for, according to plans, what appeared to be a speedboat, with an adjoining toilet, and a tearoom and kitchenette above.
Work is subject to a number of conditions including that all materials should follow approved drawings and any internal or external work should match the original materials and finishes where possible.
Although the first planning hurdle has now been cleared, the billionaire will still have to apply for planning permission, although that too is likely to be granted.
Area planning manager for the council, David Mudie, said when granting the listed building consent: ‘All works, materials and finishes shall be as noted on the approved drawings.
‘Any internal or external works and finishes, or works for making-good as required, shall be to match original/adjacent materials and finishes.’
He went on to say that this was ‘in order to safeguard the character and qualities of the listed building and designed landscape.’
Weybridge House in Surrey is a new five-bedroom house and photography studio built by a young couple who work from home and needed a comfortable space to live
The Slot House in London is a tiny home made large by clever design, making the most of the small building built in a tight spot in the heavily populated city
The disused historic Water Tower in Norfolk (Pictured) was purchased by its owners for the equivalent value of scrap metal. The existing water tank is cut laterally to create a 360 panoramic window aligned with the visible horizon. This forms an elevated living space in which the original water equilibrium devices remain suspended
At night lights within the water tower reveal a bright and comfortable interior, with plenty of space to live
The Water Tower (Pictured) is infilled with a series of accommodation floors and window units used in optimised dimensions, with each floor containing a mezzanine bed bunk. The appearance of the original stilted silhouette is achieved by the inclusion of an enclosed bridge link between the stair and stacked floors
Standing tall within a setting of fields of Barley, the entire structure of the Water Tower (pictured) has been ingeniously engineered to account for the absent weight of water and the additional distribution of new accommodation loads
This unique and rediscovered barn, named the Outfarm, (Pictured) is located in Devon and was a place for prize cattle. It was found by chance, as a ruin on a plot of land, with no permission for re-use
The Outfarm (pictured) features the structural steel shoes that stabilise the original half-rounded columns, which pay homage to the abandoned barns history. The owners have featured a minimal design and a new roof, engineered to allow for an additional mezzanine if necessary
The Outfarm’s open plan dining and living space (pictured) features a bright wooden stained floor to enhance the light, and give the place a homely feel. The high roof means the space has an array of light fixtures to keep it bright of an evening
The barn conversion (Pictured) features the original stone and has been modified to fit in wooden doors that have a complete glass pane to let as much light into the property as possible
The Simple House, located in Cambridge, by Haysom Ward Miller Architects, is an extraordinary piece of inventive design. The two-bedroom house is completely hidden behind a garden wall because the owner didn’t want to impose on the already settled neighbourhood and decided to opt for a discreet design and construction
Set in a very small plot, originally a simple garden plot, Simple house (Pictured) embraces nature in all directions. The clients’ aim was to reinstate what they took away from nature
It’s an open and generous space connected to both garden areas with large windows raising up to the top of the main living area, creating a beautiful atmosphere
Natural and simple materials – unpainted exposed joists, aggregate concrete floor and birch-ply details – give the space a natural look and organic feel. Some details have been purposely left unfinished to create a sense of unsophisticated flawlessness in balance with the natural and organic feel of this small home
House for Theo and Oskar (Pictured), located in Surrey was originally a small family cottage that was remodelled into a home that would cater for the client’s children Theo and Oskar, who suffer from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
The House for Theo and Oskar was created to allow the family space to live comfortably with the two children’s debilitating condition. It incorporated a large extension
The extension wraps around the side of the cottage to form a new front entrance, maintaining the important existing horizontal eaves line and the suggestion of a pitched roof
The internal circulation has been rationalised with seamlessly integrated pocket sliding doors to afford full access throughout. The identity of the original cottage is not only retained but invigorated
The Modern Oast is a new build house in Kent closely based on the local vernacular used to dry hops. The house accommodates a family with two young children. Each roundel performs a different function in the makeup of the home
A triple-height central roundel links all the spaces, with a kitchen and sitting room connected to this space on the ground floor, along with a spare bedroom, study, bathroom, and utility room
On the first floor (pictured) a double-height living room and curved landing provide access to the three bedrooms that are housed in the three remaining roundels. The building offers a clever response to a unique set of problems – ultimately, that hops dry in dark spaces whilst families prefer living in light spaces
Historic Environment Scotland did not oppose the consent, adding: ‘We have considered the information received and do not have any comments to make on the proposals.
‘Our decision not to provide comments should not be taken as our support for the proposals.
‘This application should be determined in accordance with national and local policy on listed building consent, together with related policy guidance.’
Mr Povlsen began building this ever-growing property portfolio 14 years ago, in the autumn of 2006, with the £7.9million acquisition of Glenfeshie, a 42,000-acre patch of the Cairngorms National Park.
Two years later, he spent another £15.5million acquiring the 23,000-acre Braeroy estate near Fort William, nearby Tulloch, and Lynaberack in the Cairngorms. Four estates were added between 2011 and 2015, and another three in 2016.
Aldourie Castle is set within 500 acres of prime Scottish real estate and is the only habitable castle on the shoreline of Loch Ness. Mr Povlsen reportedly paid £15million for the estate in 2015 and it is being slowly restored
An illustration showing the proposed elevation for the new boathouse on Loch Ness. Mr Povlsen has had an application for listed building consent granted by the Highland Council, with stringent conditions
The proposed side elevation for one of the new boathouses, submitted by Mr Povlsen as part of restoration plans. They are originally thought to have been built in the 19th century when the castle was expanded
Existing site plans for the new boathouse. Evidence from the turn of the 20th century shows a heather thatched open timber boathouse protected by a palisaded timber fence
Proposed site plans for the new boathouse. Work is subject to a number of conditions including that all materials should follow approved drawings and any internal or external work should match the original materials and finishes where possible
Proposed plans for the new boathouse. Wooden stakes that one former boathouse used to float on can still be seen in the water, while the concrete plinth is all that remains of the other
Proposed floor plans for one of the new boathouses. An application was put in earlier this year by the Aldourie Castle Estate for listed building consent to recreate the two structures
Proposed front elevation for one of the new boathouses on Loch Ness. Although the first planning hurdle has now been cleared, the billionaire will still have to apply for planning permission, although that too is likely to be granted
Mr Povlesen’s first buy was Glenfeshie, whose 42,000 acres inspired Sir Edwin Landseer’s Monarch of the Glen. He bought the estate in 2006, marking the start of his ever-growing property portfolio
Mr Povlsen bought Killie Huntley estate in 2011 and rents out the vast farmhouse to holidaymakers. The Danish billionaire’s Scottish landholdings cover an area half the size of Worcestershire
The Kinloch estate, by the Kyle of Sutherland estuary, offers 20,000 of hunting and salmon fishing. Mr Povlsen’s life as a Scottish laird is all a long way from the tiny Danish town of Brande, with a population of just 7,000, where Povlsen’s father, Troels, opened the family’s first clothes store in 1975
The Ben Loyal lodge and estate were snapped up by Mr Povlsen back in 2012. In addition to ‘re-wilding’, the billionaire has poured millions of pounds into converting lodges, cottages and farmhouses into upmarket holiday retreats on his estates
His Scottish landholdings cover an area half the size of Worcestershire, and surpassed the mere 217,000 acres owned by the Duke of Buccleuch – Britain’s biggest land owner before him.
Partial to a single malt and locally brewed real ale, he is known to visit local pubs in Scotland but rarely says much about himself.
Mr Povlsen’s life as a Scottish laird is all a long way from the tiny Danish town of Brande, with a population of just 7,000, where Povlsen’s father, Troels, opened the family’s first clothes store in 1975.
Other outlets soon followed. And Anders was only 27 when Troels made him the sole owner of Bestseller. By 2007, it was so successful that supermodel Gisele Bundchen was hired to promote it.
Bestseller employs 15,000 people and boasts nearly 6,000 shops. He owns brands such as Jack & Jones and Vero Moda, and 27 per cent of ASOS.com, Britain’s biggest internet fashion retailer.
In addition to ‘re-wilding’, the billionaire has poured millions of pounds into converting lodges, cottages and farmhouses into upmarket holiday retreats on his estates.
Aldourie Castle, built around 1626 as laird’s house, is now available to rent for private stays and makes up part of the Povlsen’s huge Scottish land bank.
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