SCOTTISH HOUSE
An architect-designed house on the Scottish coast ingeniously offers panoramic views of the Sound of Mull without forsaking a sense of protection from the elements
A makesrchitect Roderick James and his wife, interior designer Amanda Markham, were enjoying life on the picturesque River Dart in Devon when a series of work projects took Roderick to Scotland. ‘I was engaged on a house development with the Ardtornish Estate on the Sound of Mull,’ he explains, of the assignment that would ultimately prove instrumental in the couple’s eventual move 600 miles north. ‘At the time local people were very pessimistic about its chance of success so we bought the first plot to show that we, at least, were confident.’ Their intention was to build a property and rent it out, but, once finished, the couple had a change of heart, sold their Devon home and relocated to this remote and beautiful corner of the Scottish coast. ‘Devon was becoming a bit crowded,’ admits Roderick, ‘and we loved the Scottish landscapes, the mountains and the sea.’
Eagle Rock is a spectacular build that remains sensitive to its setting. It was designed by Roderick to make the most of the panoramic vistas of the Sound of Mull, while offering protection from the elements in a place where things can quickly take a turn for the worse. ‘Before we started building, the wind and weather shrieked across the plot,’ he says. ‘We wanted a space which felt light at all times, but very enclosed and secure, without being claustrophobic.’
The solution was a clever combination of intimacy with open plan. Entry is via a compact lobby on the north elevation that leads directly into a large, light-filled central courtyard with an elliptical glazed roof. A ‘buffer zone’ of small utility spaces including a larder, laundry and cloakroom, with tiny slit windows, are located to the north side in the outer walls. ‘The north elevation has a resonance of the Iron Age Scottish brochs; almost slightly fortified,’ says Roderick. Also key to the design was its visual interaction with the land. ‘We wanted the house to hug the landscape, where its moss sedum roof it almost feel like the top of the hill upon which it sits.’
AT HOME WITH
Architect Roderick James lives here with Amanda Markham, an interior designer.
Designed by Roderick, the house is located on the Sound of Mull, on the west coast of Scotland. It comprises an open-plan kitchen-diner/ living area, four en suite bedrooms and a galleried internal courtyard with cinema, library and music room.
Behind the courtyard, lies the pièce de résistance; a lovely open-plan south-facing living room wi
