architectural heritage

The "long house" is the traditional building form common to rural Europe. Whether it is the byre dwelling of Ireland, the blackhouse of the Western Isles, or the cruck-framed cottage of England, the long house is synonymous with the countryside.

In character they are narrow and long, which gives them many advantages. The walls can be easily spanned, they are low-lying so sit down from the wind, and they fit relatively easily in to awkward topography.

	Above: Traditional thatched blackhouse, Isle of Harris.

Since the old long houses were designed to keep the weather out and the warmth in, they had few or no windows. Local materials were used; stone for the walls and thatch for the roof. But more modern materials, such as tin, would be used when it could be afforded.

But this form of building largely stopped. In Scotland it was initially replaced with the "whitehouse" which in turn was replaced by the modern kit house. These are adapted from an American suburban model, and can be seen scattered across much of rural Scotland and Ireland. These buildings have lost all links with the traditional building type of the countryside.

Our designs are picking up the architectural thread. The simple form contrasts dramatically with the oversized and ill-considered proportions of many kit houses. The limited palette of materials prevents the houses from being too fussy. The narrow plan permits easy siting in the landscape.

And the biggest advantage? The one-room deep plan allows us to draw light in from both sides of the house, so that from the same chair you can watch the sun both rise and fall.