Half of Eleven

Isle of Skye

Dualchas director Rory Flyn wanted to rejuvenate his mother’s family croft at Upper Breakish, and bring up his own young family there. The ambition was to make the land productive, and to build a family home on a modest budget.

Half of Eleven is the first phase in its regeneration, using a simple architectural idea and careful construction to make the most of what could realistically be afforded.

A simple house to self-build
The 162-square-metre, four-bedroom house is a simple, single-storey timber-framed building with a compact and efficient plan. Its straightforward form made construction manageable as a self-build and allowed the budget to be concentrated on space, materials and the quality of the interior.

The house is tucked into the landscape and clad in vertical untreated larch, designed to silver naturally over time. Hit-and-miss timber screens protect recessed windows and external circulation, filtering the wind and adding depth to the long elevation.

Living with the landscape
At the heart of the house, the living room, kitchen and study form one continuous space, subtly divided by three-quarter-height oak-ply joinery. Exposed timber beams provide structure and texture, conceal lighting and become part of the finished interior.

Glazing opens in two directions: north to panoramic views along the Inner Sound and south to a sunny, sheltered courtyard. This allows family life to sit between the expansive landscape on one side and a protected outdoor space on the other.

Outcome
Half of Eleven shows how a clear plan, restrained materials and careful value engineering can produce a generous family home without a large budget. More importantly for Rory, it has brought another generation back to the family croft and established the first step in its longer-term regeneration.

As the family observed during the RIAS jury visit, the house allows them to experience Skye’s constantly changing weather without even stepping outside.

Awards and recognition
RIAS Award 2023
Scottish Forestry/Wood for Good Best Use of Timber Award 2023

Selected publications
RIBA Journal — Half of Eleven, Isle of Skye
AJ Buildings Library — Half of Eleven

What the judges said
“Half of Eleven by Dualchas Architects is a wonderful example of a beautiful home on a modest budget.”

RIAS Jury
2023