Izat Arundell's exquisite timber-framed self-build home, clad in full-thickness local stone, blends effortlessly into its rugged setting and helped forge community ties in its construction. It wins a RIAS Award and Award for Architectural Interior
2025 RIAS Award
RIAS/Laurence McIntosh Award for Architectural Interior
Caochan na Creige, Isle of Harris
Izat Arundell for private client
Contract value: Confidential
GIA: 85m2
This self-built home in the Outer Hebrides is an exceptional project by young practice Izat Arundell (Eilidh Izat and Jack Arundell). Designed and hand-built by the architect-founders themselves, it stands as a rare example of deep-rooted, site-responsive design, conceived with care and executed with remarkable craft and restraint.
The building blends effortlessly into the rugged Hebridean landscape, with a material palette that honours the ancient Lewisian gneiss rock surrounding it. Initially conceived as a concrete structure, budget constraints led to a creative redesign: the final timber-framed house is clad in full-thickness local stone, giving the home the appearance of a modern-day blackhouse, nestled in the terrain. An exposed concrete ring beam, washed to reveal the stone aggregate, echoes the original concept and adds a contemporary contrast to the handcrafted exterior.
Inside, the house is compact but feels generous. Its 85m2 plan is shaped around the natural contours of the land, with a 135-degree geometry guiding the layout. The interior materiality is restrained but richly textured: warm-toned lime plaster walls, polished concrete floors embedded with local aggregate, Scottish larch ceilings and finely crafted beech joinery. Artworks collected by the couple over the years are positioned in carefully planned locations, designed into the architecture itself.
Every room has a distinct character and a strong relationship to the wider context – whether through the living room’s expansive glazing to the glen and sea, the bedroom’s seasonal light alignment, or the angled kitchen that maintains privacy while encouraging neighbourhood connection.
The construction process itself fostered strong community ties, with local stonemasons and craftspeople contributing to its realisation. Executed on a very modest budget, this quietly poetic building is a testament to what can be achieved through patience, skill and profound respect for place. It is a richly personal and beautifully crafted work that shows the strength of emerging architectural voices.
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Credits
Contractor Jack Arundell and Alasdair Izat (self-build)
Structural engineer Narro Associates