Dualchas Building Design

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Bruaich na Greine (2006)

Building two storey houses on Skye can be difficult, as the planning department often has a preference for one and a half story forms. It was therefore important to convince the planner that the building would blend in to the backdrop of the hill. A decision was made to clad the building in larch, so that when the timber weathered, the building would match the colours of the surrounding tree bark and rocks.

The client had two key requirements – to have lots of glass, and to get a view over the roof of the house below. It was therefore decided to place the main living space upstairs, and use some steel portals within the timber frame structure, which allowed us to maximise the large area of glazing to the front.

It was then necessary to give the large area of glazing protection from the summer sun by a steel and timber trellis. This also incorporates a deck at ground level, which extends out from the two bedrooms and central study, and a balcony at first floor level, accessed from the kitchen. From here the owner can view Uig bay, and watch the arrival and departure of the Outer Isles ferries. The dining and living area is open to the kitchen, with a solid oak floor and shelving bringing warmth into the interior