LOW POINT
“A sudden rise in the price of building materials almost brought the project to a halt. The rising cost meant a fi xed price contract had to be renegotiated to pay for time and materials which potentially meant an increase in cost.”
within the landscape. The tight site, steep access drive and sloping land created challenges during construction, both for delivery of materials and limited use of plants. Consideration was given to the use of sustainable materials, predominantly timber, and renewable technology. A local contractor was used and contributed to the team effort to create a stunning home which is modest in scale and budget.
“Because the site was complicated, that added to the foundation cost,” continues Mark. “So although we got the site at a reasonable price, the foundations cost a lot of money.” The ascent up the drive leads to a level parking area which is delineated by a long fi n wall fi nished in split stone and a single storey rectangle, clad in black timber, is cantilevered above the stone wall. The fi nish is inspired by the Japanese charred timber technique of Shou Sugi an and refl ects the history of charcoal- making in Argyll.
Steps of natural timber sleepers, concealed in a slot behind the stone wall, lead up in a series of terraces to the entrance level, where the rocky terrain forms a backdrop to the building. A small landscaped area of gravel and grasses surrounds the house which morphs into the wild landscape beyond.
“The cantilever was a big thing for me,” says Mark of his favourite feature. “I had this quite dramatic image of a wall and a black box cantilevered over the edge that recedes into the landscape. I like when I approach up the drive and see the compositional elements of the building cantilevered over a slate wall. Nature’s
The design makes maximum use of the width of the site, while also making the most of the views to the sea
quite a messy concept, shapes and forms and colours and textures. We wanted it to sit well in the landscape and not really draw too much attention to itself.” The house is entered from the side into a timber panelled hall, with the spine of a corridor running the full length of the building. A window at the far end provides a framed vista to the hillside beyond. The entrance area opens into a kitchen dining room, where the view to the sea is fi nally revealed through expansive sliding doors leading to a deck running the whole length of the house. The window wall continues through an opening into the sitting room where the focus is again on the view, taking in the islands of Jura, Shuna and Scarba. “The whole front of the house opens up from
each room onto a deck running the length so we can step outside from any of the rooms at the front,” explains Suzanne. The 135m2
house 47
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