Award-winning architecture studio Brown & Brown has released Scottish Modern, a new publication exploring its distinctive approach to contemporary home design shaped by Scotland’s landscapes, heritage, and evolving ways of living.
Founded by Andrew Brown and Kate Brown, the Aberdeenshire-based practice is known for crafting contemporary homes that sit naturally within their surroundings, guided by thoughtful siting, local materials, and seamless indoor-outdoor connections, with an approach subtly rooted in a “slow work” philosophy that values precision, patience, and lasting craftsmanship.
Established in Royal Deeside in 2010, the studio has built a strong reputation for delivering individual, site-responsive homes that carefully reflect both client aspirations and the unique character of their surroundings. Over the years, their work has gained national and international acclaim, including being named Architecture Practice of the Year at the Scottish Design Awards 2022.
A Design Language Rooted in Place and Modern Clarity
At the core of Scottish Modern is a design philosophy that merges traditional Scottish building principles with a refined contemporary language defined by light, proportion, and material honesty. Instead of following trends, Brown & Brown develops a more personal architectural narrative or one that is informed by place, craft, and lived experience.
Drawing inspiration from influential architects such as Peter Womersley and Alan Reiach, the practice also moves beyond established frameworks like Kenneth Frampton’s Critical Regionalism, shaping a contemporary interpretation that feels both grounded and forward-looking.
The book presents a curated selection of projects set across diverse and dramatic landscapes, right from the Firth of Clyde to the Cairngorms National Park and residential edges of Aberdeen, each illustrating a careful response to environment, climate, and context.
Homes as Stories of Living, Light, and Landscape
More than a portfolio, Scottish Modern reveals the studio’s storytelling-driven design process, where each project begins with listening closely to clients and observing the subtleties of its setting. This approach results in homes that maximize natural light, integrate environmental performance, and sit harmoniously within their surroundings that are expressive yet restrained, alongside contemporary yet timeless.
The practice’s work now extends beyond Scotland to regions including the Outer Hebrides, the Lake District, and the Italian Riviera, while maintaining a consistent commitment to context, connection, and craftsmanship.
“Architecture is a story from concept to realisation,” say the Browns. “By understanding people and place, we create homes that support everyday rituals, capture light and landscape, and become part of life over generations.”
Positioned as both a reflective body of work and a design manifesto by Brown & Brown, Scottish Modern explores the meaning of home in contemporary life, advocating for slower, more considered design processes and spaces that foster comfort, memory, and belonging. The publication is set to resonate with architects, students, and anyone interested in the relationship between modern design, landscape, and the lived experience of home.
