CASE STUDY
Forge Design Studio
Swilken Joiners, Base Metal Roofing
Telephone: 01993 833155
An Teallach, Moonzie Mill is both a home and an architectural statement. Designed by Mike Harrison, Director of Forge Design Studio for himself and his family, the house sits within a rural hamlet, carefully crafted to respond to its Scottish landscape and maximise the sweeping 360-degree views. Guided by Forge Design Studio’s ethos of high-quality design, achieving the very best for clients and creating solutions that exceed expectations, the project demanded products that matched this vision.
At RIBA Stage 4, Forge Design Studio turned to The Rooflight Co, as the service and specification support reflected the same dedication to excellence. A combination of Neo® pitched rooflights and our flat rooflights were integrated to deliver daylight, ventilation, and refined aesthetics throughout the home. Collaborations with main contractors Swilken Joiners, and roofing sub-contractors Base Metal Roofing ensured a successful installation in line with the vision.
The result is a series of uplifting, light-filled spaces that both ground the house within its rural setting and elevate it as a bold, contemporary architectural statement.
This project gallery showcases the sculptural geometry, rich textures and dramatic daylighting of Moonzie Mill. The images highlight the interplay between the Scottish landscape, the standing seam roof, and the carefully positioned Neo and Neo Advance rooflights.
‘The simplicity and consistency of detail to both pitched and flat rooflights works beautifully in the context of the project. We would specify them again for our own future projects and would thoroughly recommend them to both clients and contractors.’
Mike Harrison
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Director, Forge Design Studio
An Teallach, Moonzie Mill is both a home and an architectural statement. Set in a rural hamlet just outside of St Andrews in Fife, it was designed by and for the architect, Mike Harrison of Forge Design Studio, with the aim of creating a contextually respectful building in its Scottish landscape.
The project’s aim was clear from conception: to design a house that sat comfortably within its environment, responding to its surroundings, and maximising the fantastic 360-degree views.
The house is positioned on a corner plot at the end of a long farm track and was conceived as a modest landmark, understated but deliberate in its presence. Opening up the internal angle created visual interest and strategically orientated the main living spaces toward the setting sun in the northwest.
At RIBA Stage 4, the architect approached The Rooflight Co to support the integration of rooflights that would complement the room-in-the-roof cross-section of the building and roof covering system. A combination of flat and pitched rooflights were specified to bring daylight and ventilation into key areas. From the outset, our technical team worked closely with both the architect and Swilken Joiners, providing detailed drawings, installation advice and ongoing support throughout the specification and build process. This collaborative approach ensured the rooflights met both the technical requirements and the architectural vision.
The highly energy-efficient Neo Advance flat rooflights from The Rooflight Co were chosen for two distinct areas of the home: the ground-floor snug and a first-floor corner bedroom. While each room serves a very different function, both benefit from the Neo Advance’s edge-to-edge glazing, frameless lining-to-glass internal appearance, and sleek black perimeter finish.
In the snug, a cosy semi-basement retreat, the rooflight introduces soft ambient light and a clear view of the sky, transforming the space into a warm, private sanctuary.
On the first floor, the same low-profile aluminium frame design is deployed to different effect above a lofty double-height corner space. The NFF-04 model, with clear viewable dimensions of 1231mm x 1231mm, acts as a dramatic lightwell, drawing natural light deep into the home and reinforcing the panoramic views from this elevated position.
Meanwhile, the pitched Neo Rooflights were selected for their low-profile form, allowing them to sit flush within the VMZinc standing seam roof, delivering a discreet, refined aesthetic. Technically, the rooflights perform as well as they look, achieving a U-Value of 1.4W/m²K. Aligned with the full-width dormer windows opposite, they create balance and openness within the bedrooms. The architect’s choice to use landscape-oriented rooflights maximised visual continuity across the rooms.
As both architect and homeowner, the journey was deeply personal, and the rooflight specification was integral to the project’s success. The Neo and Neo Advance rooflights serve both landscape and lifestyle, capturing light, framing uninterrupted sky views and anchoring the home within its rural setting.
The result is a series of uplifting, light-filled spaces that connect the homeowner to the surrounding landscape, celebrating natural light throughout the day. The outcome at An Teallach, Moonzie Mill is a testament to Forge Design Studio’s ethos of high-quality design, where every decision is driven by a commitment to excellence. In The Rooflight Co, they found a partner whose products and service mirrored their dedication.
The seamless integration of Neo and Neo Advance rooflights reinforced the home’s role as both a personal retreat and an architectural statement. By choosing a rooflight provider aligned with their values of precision, performance and beauty, Forge Design Studio ensured the home delivers an experience far greater than the sum of its parts: a functional, contextual and inspiring space rooted in its Scottish landscape.
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Meet the experts behind this project – our dedicated team who brought this vision to life.
Passionate about helping people make the most of natural light in their spaces, Becca works closely with you to find the right solution for your project. She’s here to make the process simple and stress-free, taking care of not just the rooflight but also all the extra details and accessories needed for a smooth installation. Whatever the size or style of your project, Becca is ready to support you every step of the way.
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