Family house in Scotland by Raw Architecture

The village of Stromness, located in the Orkney archipelago in northern Scotland, is plagued year-round by adverse weather and limited resources. In this harsh landscape, Graeme Laughlan from the London studio Raw Architecture Workshop created a simple family house that had to contend with the rugged, rocky terrain of the harsh North Sea coast. A limited selection of materials was available, so the decision was made to use a concrete base and black-painted wooden cladding. The architect wanted the family to have plenty of natural light inside while also providing the best possible views of the surrounding landscape, which defined the shaping of the entire mass and the orientation of the individual window openings. The resulting composition breaks in the middle of the house, allowing for an unobstructed view to the east towards the mountains and the opposite direction towards numerous islands scattered in the sea. To enhance indoor comfort, an air heat pump is utilized, along with significant insulation of the exterior envelope (thermal transmittance coefficient of 0.15 W/m²k). The house has a total area of 169 m² spread over three floors. The concrete base, set into the ground, contains an entrance hall, a bedroom, and boat storage. The upper two floors are more illuminated and offer a much friendlier atmosphere. A staircase made of birch wood leads from the ground floor to the upper levels. In the attic, under the gable roof, there is a living room with a dining area and kitchen. The living space, with large windows, is flooded with light and offers unique views of the landscape. While most of the interior spaces adhere to light tones, the exterior envelope is the exact opposite. The chosen black color best blends into the surrounding nature, according to the architect. During stormy days, the house will have to withstand the whims of the weather. Regular battering from rain and wind will gradually cause the exterior to change to a dark red color.