Colbost House by Dualchas Architects

Nestled into a craggy cliff on the Isle of Skye, the Colbost House is a four-house home for a family of five, with the magnificent views over Dunvegan bay to the Waternish peninsula.

Architects: Dualchas Architects
Location: Colbost, Waternish, Scotland
Photography: Andrew Lee

This house consists of four black farm buildings with black oiled Siberian larch cladding and aluminum roof sheeting, the ultra-contemporary interior contrast with traditional Scottish Highlands.

In addition to the two conjoined barn houses including a main living area and four bedrooms, there was to be a separate shed for storage and wood store and heat pump shelter, the buildings are grouped around a tight courtyard that offers shelter from the wind and an opportunity to shower before entering the house.

Inspiration from architect:

The design is directly inspired by a black shed on the adjacent croft, simple in form and clearly rooted to its landscape. The form developed out of a desire to lose the bulk of the relatively large building into the shadow of the cliff behind so that the 1 ½ storey element containing all the bedrooms sits behind the main simple communal living space in front.