Scottish house render in TV screens in the running for Home of the Year

The fictional Hundred Acre Wood conceived by author AA Milne was the land inhabited by Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends.

But set against the backdrop of Loch Awe, in Argyll and Bute, lies another Hundred Acre Wood, a mammoth silver-grey house which occasionally glints as the light catches it.

Designed by architects Denizen Works, based in Glasgow and London, the home is an example of the brutalist school of architecture.

Incredibly, the house has been rendered in recycled TV screens, a choice which started as a joke as the client doesn’t like TV.

Hundred Acre Wood. Credit: Gilbert McCarragher

But the idea has resulted in an unexpectedly beautiful exterior and bagged the home a spot on the The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) shortlist for the House of the Year.

The annual award celebrated the UK’s best new house.

Hunkered into its dramatic setting on the banks of Loch Awe, the home pays homage to Scotland’s baronial castles, appearing both ancient and new.

Hundred Acre Wood. Credit: Gilbert McCarragher

A Scottish broch for the 21st century, it was designed and constructed over eight years.

Developed from a study of historic Scottish architecture and the sculptural works of Eduardo Chillida, the home centres around a huge hall which has been designed to accommodate an 18-ft Christmas tree.

Even without the Christmas tree, the space doesn’t feel cold, with a two-metre rooflight lined in gold leaf filling the space with warm light.

Lochside House. Credit: Richard Fraser

Lochside House. Credit: Richard Fraser

Thick walls with deep reveals add to the spectacular fortress-like appearance, while its enlarged window frames curate views across the landscape.

It’s not the first time a Scottish home has been in the running for the award. In 2018 Lochside House by Haysom Ward Miller Architects won the prestigious RIBA House of the Year.

The off-the-grid cottage in the Highlands was praised for its highly sustainable. It is powered by solar energy and has its own water supply.

And in 2016, the Murphy House in Edinburgh, was crowned Home of the Year. Located in the UNESCO-listed New Town, the project was designed by architect Richard Murphy.

Murphy House. Credit Keith Hunter

Murphy House. Credit Keith Hunter

‘This year’s RIBA House of the Year shortlist includes a range of exciting new typologies, including a rethink of the family terraced house and a model for collective rural living,’ said jury chair, Dido Milne.

‘Here we have everything; from homes inserted into tight urban sites and new life breathed into existing structures, to detached rural homes where the architect has been given free rein to reimagine the baronial hall or lakeside retreat. 

‘Localism is a recurring theme, with architects engaging with the local vernacular without being slaves to tradition, and local sourcing of materials targeting both embodied and operational carbon to deliver genuinely sustainable design. 

‘The most notable aspect this year, however, is the power of collaboration to deliver great buildings. 

The winner of Home of the Year will be announced on 30 November. 

‘The fundamental importance of the client and architect relationship is evident in all the shortlisted projects which demonstrate how an architect can bring a client’s dreams to life.’

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