Lochside
House, a stunning new home in the West Highlands designed by
HaysomWardMiller Architects, has been named RIBA
House of the Year 2018.
The prestigious
annual accolade is given by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) to
the UK’s best new architect-designed house.
Lochside House was
revealed as the winner in the final episode of a special Channel 4 series Grand
Designs: House of the Year.
Lochside House is a
modest, sustainable home which sits in a magical location on the edge of a
Scottish lake. The house is formed of three finely-crafted buildings, huddled
together and clad in burnt Scottish larch, protected by a traditional drystone
wall. With roofs that echo the distant mountains, Lochside House is perfectly
integrated into the wild and rugged landscape.
Photograph: Richard Fraser.
A bespoke design for
the owner – a ceramic artist – the house is completely off-grid: all energy
comes from the sun and water is pulled up from a borehole. Inside, the rooms
are comfortably sized with a pared-back aesthetic. Walls are lined in white
oiled timber, surfaces are skimmed with a rough textured plaster and large
windows at varying heights capture the stunning views.
RIBA President, Ben
Derbyshire, said: "Lochside House is truly breathtaking. By containing its
scale, sensitively positioning the crop of buildings on a promontory around
established trees, and making use of local materials, HaysomWardMiller have created
a home which perfectly responds to its exposed, unique location.
"With a highly
sustainable, off-grid approach to energy and water, it leaves the surrounding
environment as undisturbed as possible. Every detail has been fine-tuned to
create an exceptional home and studio that meets the needs and wishes of its
artist owner. Lochside House is the perfect addition to this dream landscape.”
Lochside House’s
architect, Tom Miller of HaysomWardMiller,
said: “To build a good, energy-efficient house here wasn’t straightforward. It
was only possible because we had a client with the uncompromising determination
and vision to keep pushing us to achieve our best, and a contractor’s team for
whom we have enormous respect - they seemed to thrive on the unique challenges
posed by building on such an exposed and inaccessible site.
"The fact that
it was such a pleasure to work on is testament to the dedication of everyone
who contributed. Our thanks go to the whole team.”
Also announced was
the seventh and final home shortlisted for the RIBA House of the Year: The
Makers House by Liddicoat & Goldhill.
The full shortlist
for the RIBA House of the Year 2018 is:
- Pheasants by Sarah Griffiths + Amin
Taha
- Red House by 31/44 Architects
- Coastal House by 6a Architects
- Old Shed New House by Tonkin Liu
- Lochside House by HaysomWardMiller
Architects
- VEX by Chance de Silva &
Scanner
- The Makers House by Liddicoat & Goldhill
RIBA House of the
Year 2018 is sponsored by Forterra.
