In brief 7 8 To celebrate the RIAS Festival of Architecture, Western Isles Architects Group and An Lanntair have teamed up to create Building our Islands: Architectural Trail the “Building our Islands” project to increase awareness of 9 architecture in the Outer Hebrides. This Architectural Trail has 10 selected 29 notable places from the Butt of Lewis to Barra, with sites ranging in age from the Iron Age to the present. 11 The natural environment has significantly shaped architecture and human settlement, with towns and smaller settlements in the Outer Hebrides all close to the sea. The wet and windy See detailed climate is harsh on buildings and the architecture reflects this. Stornoway locations map This trail is a mixture of public and private sites, historic and 12 on reverse modern. These buildings show the skills and desires of island designers and craftsmen, mostly using local stone, sand and 13 14 15 gravel. Other building materials were imported, since there is 16 little timber or clay for building use. The importance of religion 17 is reflected in some of the buildings chosen, while new buildings show the confidence Islanders have in reflecting their changing 18 19 20 needs and aspirations. 21 As a result of the history of land ownership, very few houses predate 1880. The traditional dry-stone walled blackhouses, 22 built in the North Atlantic longhouse tradition, gave way to newer White-houses with rendered stonewalls and a few standard layouts. Modern private homes now span a range of building materials, both local and imported, and feature 23 unique and creative architectural design. 24 Acclaimed photographer John Maher has photographed the buildings, capturing the beauty of the islands’ variety of architecture. Additional sites and information are available at all the locations on the Architectual Trail. Architectual all the locations on www.visitouterhebrides.co.uk or for more information on The Building our Islands project visit www.lanntair.com 25 For more information about Western Isles Architects group 26 Explore please contact Stuart Bagshaw (Chair), SBA Architects Ltd [email protected] 27 28 Projections at the Girnal 29 2017 4 Martin’s Memorial St Moluag’s Church, 8 Locations Church, Stornoway Ness A Stornoway landmark, built in St Moluag’s Church is a 12th century 1878. Martin’s Memorial Church Temple, said to have been built by was designed by RA Bryden. the son of a Scandinavian King, who had converted to Christianity. Saint 1 An imposing Gothic church, Lews Castle and The hall, designed by John Moluag was a Scottish missionary and contemporary of Saint Columba. Stornoway Robertson, was added to the Museum, rear in 1893 and the pinnacles The building may have been altered Built in 1847-51 in the Neo- and spire were added in 1911. up to the 16th century and was Gothic style popular in the restored in 1911-12. Victorian era by Sir James Matheson and substantially altered by Lord Leverhulme. Nicolson Institute 5 After being used as a school It re-opened in 2016 with the Clock Tower, Stornoway Architecture of Stornoway addition of a modern extension The Italianate Clock tower for the museum/archives. remains from the original elementary and infant school built in 1873, with the tower The Boatman’s 2 designed by Dr Alexander Ross in 1902. Adjacent to the Nicolson N Institute, it is one of the three Tower, Stornoway 6 buildings voted as “their favourite Built in the grounds of building” as part of the Building Charles Wilson’s Tudor our Islands Project. Gothic Lews Castle (1847- 51). The boatman ferried 1 2 people to Stornoway and the 6 Gibson Gardens, tower housed his family. It is Stornoway one of three buildings voted as “their favourite building” A large (in island terms) social as part of the Building our housing project for rent which Islands Project and plans fits an urban site where a are afoot to renovate it. school hostel had been located. Completed in 2012 by local 5 architects Anderson Associates. 4 It was awarded the Outer 3 3 An Lanntair, Hebrides Design Award 2014 for Group Housing. Stornoway An Lanntair’s award winning building, designed by Nicoll 7 Russell Studios, is inspired Butt of Lewis by its name, which means “the beacon” in Gaelic. Lighthouse, Ness The arts centre houses a Built in 1862 by David and Thomas multipurpose auditorium Stevenson. Made from red brick, Building our Islands project is made possible by support from: and cinema, gallery and which was unusual for Scottish café/bar. lighthouses, it is 37 metres high and has 168 steps to the top. Spray flies over the top of it in winter storms. It was one of the last lighthouses to be automated in 1998. The leaflet has been produced by WIAG and An Lanntair in association with Outer Hebrides Tourism. 15 Benbecula 23 Locations Water Tower, Balivanich An iconic structure built in the early 1970s to service Gearrannan 9 the RAF station in Balivanich. It is no longer in use. Blackhouse It divides local opinion but local support saved it from Village, Carloway demolition. Its height makes it Blackhouses were common a notable landmark in the flat dwellings in the Hebrides. Talla na Mara, Niseabost Benbecula landscape. This was the last group to be occupied, being vacated Translated from Gaelic, Talla na Mara means the Centre by the sea. in 1974. Built in the late 19th Overlooking Niseabost beach, the Centre boasts one of the most century, restored and in some photographed locations in the Outer Hebrides. Designed by Rural Design Ltd, the building’s angular form was inspired by the cases rebuilt in the 1990s, the 24 village includes a museum, surrounding landscape. Nunton Steadings, interpretation centre, shop, Nunton café, self-catering blackhouses The current steading was built and a hostel. The Broch House, Borve 16 in the early 1700’s; originally the site was part of a Nunnery Inspired by Scottish coastal from 1300. Converted for the Iron Age buildings, it is probably the Uist Preservation Trust by Carloway first broch built in the UK Dun Carloway, Simpson and Brown in 1999 since the Roman era. 21st century A broch is an iron-aged drystone hollow-walled structure found and now used as a craft centre comforts in what could be an ancient only in Scotland. Dun Carloway, was likely built in 1st Century AD and tearoom. and had four different phases of building. It is the best preserved ruin. Designed by Stuart Bagshaw Broch in the Outer Hebrides. (Private residence, please view from the road.) 10 25 Our Lady 17 Temple Café, of Sorrows, Northton Garrynamonie A stone building reminiscent Designed in 1965 by architect of a Blackhouse, designed by Richard McCarron, this Stuart Bagshaw in 1999 as an Catholic church has been interpretive centre of William described as “brutalist”, owing MacGillivray, an ornithologist little to traditional Outer from Harris who worked with Hebrides building styles. It was John James Audubon on the largely self-built by the book ‘Birds of America’. parishioners. It is now a café. The Summer 11 The Girnal, Rodel 18 St Michael’s 26 House, Achmore Large iron-roofed 18th century of the Sea, Eriskay Inspired by the traditional structure, it is thought to have Hebridean summer dwellings been a store or ‘keeping house’ Constructed by the or ‘airidhs’. The larch-clad with two floors and three bays. islanders themselves under house is both colourful and It is one of three buildings voted the guidance of Fr. Allan sculptural with dramatic as ‘their favourite building’ as McDonald using local stone, views over the Harris hills. part of the Building our Islands timber salvaged from wrecks Hand-built by local architect Project. and a lime mortar of burnt Duncan Porteous. shells and sand in 1899-1903. (Private residence: The altar rests on the bow of not open to the public). a lifeboat washed overboard from an aircraft carrier. 19 St Clements Church, Rodel 12 Amhuinnsuidhe St. Clement’s earliest sections 27 Castle, North Harris date to the 15th Century and it is the Cuithir Houses, finest pre-reformation church in the Barra Amhuinnsuidhe Castle was Hebrides. Inside is one of the most Built in 2000 for Barra & built in 1865 in the Scottish ambitious and richly-carved tombs Vatersay Housing Association Baronial style by the architect of the time for the Macleod clan (now part of HHP) by Ben David Bryce and the 7th Earl chief. The carvings depict biblical Tindall Architects following of Dunmore. The public road to stories, a stylised castle, a hunting extensive community Hushinish passes the front scene and a Birlinn galley. door and through a grand arch. consultation. The curved (Access by prior ends, similar to Viking arrangement only.) longhouses, reduce heat lost 20 from wind chill. Many other Gatliff Hostel, Berneray energy-saving design features These two converted are included. blackhouses now form the Berneray hostel site of the Gatliff Isle of Harris 13 trust, and lie in a Conservation Area. The original croft houses Our Lady, Star 28 Distillery, Tarbert probably dated from the 19th Designed by John R. Coleman Century. The roofs are thatched, of the Sea Architects, it occupies a including a thatched sculpture of Castlebay an otter perched on one roof. strategic position in Tarbert, Our Lady, Star of the Sea, visible to everyone arriving designed by G. Woulfe there. It is a modern take on Brenan and completed in a traditional form. Copper 21 Scolpaig Tower, 1888, is perched atop a crag is used externally at the North Uist in Castlebay. The church entrance area – hinting at dominates the bay and is a what lies within.