Architecture is a serious business, but having an innate sense of fun certainly hasn’t held Roderick James back. He and his practice have built more than a thousand houses during his long career, and over the last seven years he has been experimenting with designs that incorporate more than just four walls. He has created affordable homes on the west coast of Scotland built by ex-offenders, for example, as well as aluminium pods and cabins for off-grid living.
His latest build, the impressive and unusual Pilot House in Argyll, combines many of the ideas he has been exploring in recent years. Its design was inspired by an earlier house he’d built for himself on the west coast, Eagle Rock, whose sprawling elliptical shape exemplifies his playful approach, and by his inventive 2017 AirShip project – a modular aluminium-and-glass living pod that resembles a spacecraft and which can be easily dismantled and moved to a new site. The Pilot House was conceived by James and his wife, Amanda Markham, and built by him and their three sons, Dan, Sam and Woody, together with friends and local trades. It’s a quirky design that’s pared-back on the one hand and a tricky feat of engineering on the other, and all while taking full advantage of some incredible Scottish scenery.
“Amanda and I wanted a funky, idiosyncratic building with a powerful identity,” explains the architect. “We wanted to create a structure that built on the aesthetic of the AirShip 002, but which took the glazing and insulation to a whole new level.”
Denne historien er fra November - December 2020-utgaven av Homes & Interiors Scotland.
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Denne historien er fra November - December 2020-utgaven av Homes & Interiors Scotland.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Escape BOATH HOUSE
An inspirational Georgian manor house in the north-east offers sanctuary to artists, poets and the curious of spirit
Escape THE LOOKOUT
Sun-drenched interiors, right on the beach - it's hard to believe this is Scotland
"It still feels like home. Just nicer"
The owners of this house in Edinburgh didn't intend to give it a complete makeover, but once they started they just couldn't stop
A SCOTTISH LOVE STORY
You need passion to persevere through a lengthy restoration project. Thankfully for this rambling old lodge in Highland Perthshire, its new owners were already head over heels
CLEAN AND POLISH
Ten years in the making, this one-time dental surgery in Portobello has been reshaped as an elegant, practical family home
MEET THE MAKER RACHEL MACLELLAN
You might think the process is purely creative, but designing knitted textiles requires a deep understanding of geometry and pattern calculations. It is intricate and often mathematical. I have learned that knitting demands a constant balance between artistry and engineering. Creating a new textile involves not only selecting colours and yarns but also considering the tensile strength, elasticity and drape of the material. That way, I ensure the final product is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. To me, this blend of creativity and technical precision is a fascinating aspect of knitted textile design.
IN THE KITCHEN AT PARTIES
It's all in the details for this slick and multifunctional entertainment space
JUST A HINT OF PINK
This family-orientated Georgian kitchen gets an upgrade in both footprint and finish
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Beauty and the best of Scotland on the shores of Loch Ness
LAURA THOMAS
The environmentalist has become a very successful entrepreneur whose products are stocked by Scotland's best hotels