House at Torrin

On the west coast of Skye, the crofting township of Torrin rests on a gently sloping hillside, offering a striking view over Loch Slapin towards the unmistakable peak of Blà Bheinn.

The site is nestled within the settlement, surrounded by a mixture of traditional and modern houses, interspersed with fields, stone dykes, rocky outcrops, and clusters of trees. The brief was broken up to create a series of volumes arranged to sit both quietly within this landscape, and to create interesting internal relationships.

The result is a building of carefully composed, interlocking larch-clad volumes that sit lightly above the ground, the landscape kept largely untouched. Blà Bheinn dominates – the views across Loch Slapin almost overwhelm. The fully glazed gables to the living room and main bedroom frame the mountain’s majesty, the interiors kept sparse, to avoid distraction.

Ambitious clients and supportive planners, who understood the responsibility to our landscapes, communities and environment, were essential to the successful delivery of this sensitive and unique building.