The Project

The project is unashamed in its celebration of the relationship between old and new, represented by the crisp timber forms that float in and around the massive stone ruins of the former Mill. The existing walls create a series of courtyards, some of which have begun to be re-inhabited by nature.

The project brief was for a large family house. The architects were keen to re-imagine the building in a progressive form, layering a series of forms over the ruins to create a clear juxtaposition of old and new. The project engages with the building’s past, without replication of its traditional forms.

Use of Timber

The new building is a reinvention of the old, it is grown out of the ruin, but is not constrained by it. The flexibility of timber construction, has allowed these new forms to slide within, alongside, and over the old stone structure.

A three storey timber ‘tower’ sits at the southernmost part of the house, rising from formal dining room, to sitting room, to master bedroom, which has a high level 270 degree view of the wider countryside. Intriguing courtyard spaces create a variety of sheltered spaces. The western courtyard allows evening light to be drawn through the depth of the house, through an existing tree that has been preserved, and which became the axis for this series of spaces.

Native Scottish Larch ‘board on board’ cladding has been used predominantly, offset by the use of native Oak internally, expressed as structure, and as finishings. All the timber has been sourced from Highland based suppliers, and built by local contractors.