Friends Weathered Nine Storms Within 18 Months to Build This Remote Cottage in Scotland

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Project Details:

Location: Isle of Harris, United Kingdom

Architect: Izat Arundell / @izat.arundell

Footprint: 915 square feet

Structural Engineer: Narro Associates

Cabinetry Design: Alasdair Izat

Stone Masonry: Macaulay Stonemasons

Photography: Richard Gaston / @richardgaston

From the Architect: "Izat Arundell have completed their first new build house on the Isle of Harris. This is the private home of Eilidh Izat and Jack Arundell who run the award-winning architecture practice Izat Arundell together with their Edinburgh-based holiday let Porteous Studio and Scottish cider company Linn.

"Perched on a rocky outcrop and just a stone’s throw away from the Minch— the Atlantic sea channel between the Outer Hebrides and mainland Scotland—the house has been strategically positioned to take advantage of the elevated level and panoramic sea views across to Skye.

"The sculptural form is built out of the same Lewisian Gneiss rock on which it sits and sourced from a quarry less than five miles away. A concrete parapet with exposed Lewisian Gneiss aggregate caps the stone walls and together with the hardwood windows create a contemporary feeling around the project.

"Internally, soft angles weave throughout the home creating intriguing spaces that flow into one another while still remaining defined. These ideas were inspired by the gently shaped black houses which are vernacular to the island.

"The house was entirely built by Jack Arundell and Alasdair Izat—Eilidh’s brother and furniture maker—and Dan Macaulay, their friend and stonemason. They broke ground in January 2022 and it took 18 months to complete, including battling through nine named storms."