Situated on the South Coast of the island of Arran, we recently designed a new distillery, visitor centre and bonded warehousing with the intention of serving as a new stand-alone brand for our client, the Isle of Arran Distillers.

The proposed site had the benefit of a stunningly atmospheric backdrop, featuring Ailsa Craig and the Kintyre Peninsula. The clients' aspiration was to harness these views and showcase the beautiful copper stills, creating a building which people could associate with the island.

The building form drew inspiration from the landscape on the Isle of Arran, specifically celebrating the form of Glen Rosa. We brought this inspiration to life by way of a green sedum roof, creating a strong connection to the landscape. On approach, this feature works in harmony with the landscape and surrounding topography.

At the clients' request and true to our ethos, this design aimed to use locally sourced and natural materials where possible. We selected an organic material palette, including Scottish Larch cladding and Scottish Sandstone.

The single folded roof, covered with a sedum blanket, contains a mix of plants that change colour with the seasons. With the environment at the forefront of this project, we included a heat recovery system to form the distillation process. We also designed a holistic ecological treatment system that would make use of the wetland plants and a willow coppice.

Appearing to break out of the very ground of the site itself, our final concept proposal celebrates the form of the famous silhouette of Glen Rosa, a feature of the Isle of Arran seen from the Ayrshire coastline.

The project was completed in June 2019 and has attracted various award nominations. It continues to attract interest from visitors travelling across the globe and is fast becoming one of the best-known buildings on the Isle of Arran, much to our clients' delight.