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7 Wellington Square
Ayr
KA7 1EN
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Overview
We designed a new single malt whisky and gin distillery and visitor centre for our clients on the Isle of Barra after they came to us with an exciting vision to expand their already successful business.
The brief was to design a new purpose-built distillery that would house the clients existing gin production operations and provide capacity for their new whisky production. Alongside this, they wanted to build a visitor centre to include a cafe, shop and ancillary areas.
Location
Isle of Barra
Client
Isle of Barra Distillery
Budget
TBC
Completion
TBC
Our clients wanted their new facility to represent the island and its community values, acting as a lasting legacy to the island for years to come.
Our approach to this project was based around bringing to life the client's vision of expanding their business in a sustainable and future-proof way.
Throughout the design process, we took into consideration the sensitivity of the rural site to make sure that the visual impact of the new building and associated facilities fit within the context and surrounding landscape, as well as the island's history.
With the environment in mind, our final design concept made sure that the surrounding landscape could be returned to its natural state, enhanced by wildflowers and native plants, local to the area.
Materials and finishes
We opted for prefabricated materials due to the remote location, meaning delivery and installation time on site are reduced. The island location and exposed site also present a requirement to utilise materials that are durable against the elements – another benefit of the proposed cladding.
For the parking areas and the road leading up to the site, we selected crushed stone with the aim of reusing excavated rock from the site, allowing us to contribute to the circular economy.
Our final design proposal suggested landscaping the surrounding area to reflect the existing, with the addition of machair wildflowers to promote wildlife. The introduction of these wildflowers aimed to create pollination friendly areas and increased biodiversity to encourage the great yellow bumblebee. In addition, reinstating the natural landscape has created habitats for the corncrakes, also local to the area.
Orientation and form. Hover or tap on the white dots on the above image to explore.
Capturing the view
Key views to the east, showcasing the white sand beach towards the sound of Barra, and the west, featuring the rocky coastline of the Atlantic, inspired the orientation and form of the building.
Using varying levels
The site topography presented the opportunity to use the levels to our advantage, enabling us to separate public and private access to the building whilst providing shelter from the weather.
Orientation and form. Hover or tap on the white dots on the above image to explore.
Outcome
The final proposal was designed to be sensitive to its rural context. In such a special site, we aimed to maximise views to the Atlantic and the tranquil white-sand beaches, iconic to the Isle of Barra. We achieved this through carefully considered orientation and design of internal spaces, whilst the massing and form were inspired by the traditional forms found around the island.
On completion, this building hopes to create more jobs on the island and contribute to a sustainable future for its residents. The distillery will significantly contribute to the island's fragile economy by providing a tourist destination for visitors to the island.
Project team
Steven Denham
Founder and Managing Director
Joanne Cowan
Part 2 Architectural Assistant
Chris Youd
Architect Director
Project collaborators
David Narro Associates
Structural and Civil
McInally Associates
Planning Consultant
Mabbett
M&E Engineer
Mabbett
Energy
Tetra Tech
Roads
Forsyths
Distillery Specialists
Michael Morrison
Managing Director, Isle of Barra Distillers
Understanding, trust, connection - these are words we felt after our first meeting with Denham/Youd & it is for that reason we knew our project & ultimately, our dream was in the right hands.
Michael Morrison
Managing Director, Isle of Barra Distillers