HIAA 2022 ARCHITECTURAL AWARDS

WINNER

Social Benefit Category (new or existing buildings)

Judges comments:

“A beautiful story of community needs being met through architecture. A purposeful, elegant and simple container which delivers lifeline services for the community”.

Garadh a’ Bagh a’ Tuath (GaBaT), Isle of Barra, a community owned and managed charity, commissioned us to consider design options for additional accommodation at their Northbay garden - a horticulture-based project, offering a range of facilities to the local community, focused around training and support for vulnerable adults.

The building functions as an administrative hub for local organisations providing services for adults, supporting GABAT’s development through improved social spaces, designed around the needs and aspirations of users and volunteers: an integrated community café and an adapted kitchen and utility space for independent living skills training, and development of accredited courses in horticulture.

A simple, linear form provides an elegant and functional backdrop to the busy activities of the garden. Public spaces address the horticultural areas with a semi-open entrance providing display space for fresh produce.  

The building needs to be energy-efficient and economical to run. High insulation levels, LED and low energy fittings with a large Photo-Voltaic array achieve a standard close to carbon neutral.