Rural+: The plain, the beautiful, the sustainable in rural housing

This paper explores the role of landscape aesthetics and sustainability in the development of new rural housing prototypes. Historically, rural building forms were largely influenced by immediately available materials, climate and specific use, resulting in regionally identifiable typologies. Changes in the way we live, proximity to place of work, and the relationship between home, community and land-use have resulted in rural domestic buildings losing specific regional distinctions. The aim of this research is to generate new spatial models of autarkic housing and alternative massing arrangements that respond to local landscape qualities, hybrid land-use, urban densities and local renewable energy production. The outcomes provide, semi-quantifiable spatial development prototypes that integrate these requirements within holistic conceptual frameworks for rural sustainable living providing alternative approaches to addressing Scottish policy legislation and a primer for further research.