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An T-Eathar: a timber and stone youth, culture and heritage centre above Loch Gairloch

Gairloch, Scotland, United Kingdom

An T-Eathar

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Location
Gairloch, Scotland, United Kingdom
Sector
Cultural and civic

A youth, culture and heritage centre in a Highland coastal village.

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Use

A place for the whole village and especially its young people: a heritage house, youth workshops for music, digital media and making, a library and learning area, a café and kitchen, and a gathering hall for performances and events, around a sheltered courtyard.

How we designed it

Three connected volumes with asymmetrical pitched roofs echo the scale of the village. Local stone, weathered timber and dark metal roofing keep the palette quiet, and large panes of glass frame the loch and the mountains from the main hall.

Why it endures

Robust materials for a coastal climate and flexible rooms that can change use, so the centre can serve the village for generations.

An T-Eathar: a timber and stone youth, culture and heritage centre above Loch Gairloch
An T-Eathar: a timber and stone youth, culture and heritage centre above Loch Gairloch
An T-Eathar: a timber and stone youth, culture and heritage centre above Loch Gairloch
An T-Eathar: the centre in its village setting, with the mountains behind
An T-Eathar: the centre on its rocky shoreline

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