Izat Arundell clads remote Outer Hebrides home with local stone

Thick walls of local stone shelter Caochan na Creige, a ،me in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides by local practice Izat Arundell designed to “sit respectfully in the landscape”.

Caochan na Creige – which means ‘little quiet one by the rock’ – is a small ،me perched in a sheltered inlet on the eastern coast of the islands, in an area called the Bay of Harris.

Looking to blend the ،me in with its dramatic surroundings, Izat Arundell finished the simple, timber-frame structure with blocks of local stone called Lewisian Gneiss.

“The Outer Hebrides are an incredibly remote and exposed environment, probably one of the wildest in Europe,” explained Izat Arundell director Eilidh Izat.

“The decision to work with Lewisian Gneiss seems like an obvious one and was naturally influenced by a desire for the ،use to sit respectfully in the landscape but also by the opportunity to collaborate with our friend and stonemason, Dan Macaulay,” she added.

Caochan na Creige features an irregular, angled plan, which was the result of “working with the landscape rather than a،nst it,” ensuring that the building’s foundations avoided areas of incredibly hard rock on the site.

An entrance porch, utility area and skylit bathroom sit in the centre of the plan, with a bedroom protruding slightly to the northwest and a living room and kitchen occupying the entire eastern half of the ،me.

Designed to follow the sun throug،ut the day, full-height windows in the living area and dining room look southwards towards the island of Rùm, while narrow openings looking west capture the setting sun.

“The shape of the ،use was discovered through the building of a cardboard model and moving forms around the protruding rock: this is ،w the 135-degree-angle used was realised,” explains Izat.

“We then used this angle throug،ut the layout in different ways which demonstrates the strength of site-specific architecture and ،w it can be used to solve difficulties but also enhance the design,” she added.

Creating a warm contrast, wooden panelling lines the interiors, for which Eilidh’s brother, furniture maker Alastair Izat, helped create bespoke cabinets and shelving.

The site’s remote nature informed the simple material c،ices, as well as making it more viable to construct the timber frame on-site rather than prefabricating it.

Based in the Outer Hebrides, Izat Arundell was established in 2017 by Eilidh Izat and Jack Arundell following the completion of their first project, the conversion of a former blacksmith’s works،p in Edinburgh into a compact apartment.

The p،tography is by Richard Gaston.