Tuath North

Completed 2007

Winner of Details Category – IAA Awards 2008
Commendation’ in Scottish Design Awards 2008

The simple form of the house was intended to reflect the agricultural buildings in the surrounding landscape. The single story house was constructed in a clearing in a forest site in the Scottish Highlands. The open plan organisation of the building was designed to be a flexible and adaptable living space with the potential to close off certain areas when needed. A passive solar building, the long mainly glazed elevation is orientated to be roughly south facing, thermal mass is incorporated in the ground supported, well insulated concrete slab. Spatially, the house gains volume on its small footprint from a series of Douglas Fir rafters, curved at the ridge which sit on a timber panel with breathing construction specification.

The house is clad externally with Larch vertical boards without surface treatment and insulated to walls and roof with Warmcel cellulose fibre. Chosen for its low embodied energy and similarity in aesthetic to that of agricultural buildings the roof was finished with Eternit Profile 6R roof sheeting in gun metal grey finish. The glazing system was provided by Nordan and the rainwater goods by Lindab.