An Turas Tiree Building, Contemporary Hebrides Architecture Photos, Scottish Island Art Design Project

An Turas Tiree Ferry Shelter Building

Ferry Shelter, Western Isles, Scotland, UK design by Sutherland Hussey Architects

post updated 11 August 2023

Tiree Building on Scottish Architecture Stamps

An Turas by Sutherland Hussey Architects selected as one of six British buildings on the Royal Mail’s new collection of stamps celebrating contemporary UK architecture.

An Turas Tiree stamp

An Turas Building

Sutherland Hussey Architects information:

An Turas Tiree Ferry Shelter

9 Jun 2006

Sutherland Hussey Architects are delighted with their new piece of paper architecture!
Undoubtedly their most famous building to date, An Turas (The Journey), has been selected as one of only six British buildings to be represented on the Royal Mail’s new collection of stamps issued to celebrate contemporary architecture in the UK.

The Building is situated on Tiree and was designed, in collaboration with artists Jake Harvey, Donald Urquhart, Glen Onwin and Sandra Kennedy, as a place to shelter from the elements whilst waiting on the local ferry arriving.

The Image used for the 64p stamp was taken by photographer Peter MacKinven and shows a glass belvedere penetrating an existing dry stone dyke on to the beach.

Royal Mail Info:
Modern Architecture: 20 Jun 2006
“To mark this achievement we are showcasing some of the very best new examples on six stamps issued as part of National Architecture Week”.

Scottish Ferry Shelter

An Turas Review

Exclusive Tiree images © Adrian Welch

An Turas, Tiree a policeman calls

The visit took place to mark the unveiling of this bold project by Sutherland Hussey Architects. I accompanied Charlie Sutherland, Colin and Nicky up to the island and had lunch with Tiree Arts, photographed the opening and spent the night enjoying a good chat in the local hotel. Some of the photos were used by Building Design magazine and the article is linked above.

Adrian Welch, Architect

RIBA Stirling Prize
preparing for the opening

an turas sets up contrasts and strong moods:

An Turas
two views

Sutherland Hussey Architects
expansive context

Tiree, Scotland
below the bridge

the opening party:

An Turas, Tiree
piping in the shelter

Sutherland Hussey
cacophony

An Turas
bridge + box

Sutherland Hussey
walls + bridge

tiree and the views of the shelter:

Tiree Arts
arrival, an turas far left

An Turas Tiree
from the beach

Tiree Scotland
view to bungalow, from north

An Turas
break on through to the other side….

An Turas
from the north-east

details of an turas:

Sutherland Hussey
water tray

Tiree artists
reflection through glass from outside

Tiree, Scotland
slate / boards @ glass box / bridge junction

an turas: the tiree context

scarinish, tiree
scarinish harbour, 1km away

tiree buildings
local context, white walls and black felt

tiree architecture
thick walls + thatch of traditional ‘black house’

An Turas – Client, Tiree Arts: www.tireearts.org

Pierhead Arts Project

An Turas – Project Description

This is a Scottish Arts Council funded project for Architect, Artist and Engineer to collaborate in making a structure for the island of Tiree.

Located near to the pier, the structure is intended to act as a ‘shelter’ whilst waiting for the ferry.

It is hoped that it will reflect some of the qualities of the island, distilled as a line in the landscape.

As an experiential sequence it is conceived of in three parts.

The white walls: Open to the sky but sheltered from the wind
The bridge: Protected from the weather, closed to the sky and the horizon but open to the rock and sand of the beach below.
The glass box: The complete panorama, looking out along Gott bay and beyond.

It is intended that the materials used will reflect (though not directly imitate) the vernacular architecture of the island.
The whitewash walls, the relationship of wall to groundscape, the black-felt roof of the bridge, all allude to qualities particular to the island.
by Sutherland Hussey Architects, Edinburgh

RIBA Stirling Prize
detail at corner of glass box

Awards

– RIAS Best Building in Scotland winner in 2003
– RIBA Stirling Prize Shortlist 2003
– Royal Scottish Academy Gold Medal for Architecture 2003
– RIBA Award 2003
– RIBA Stephen Lawrence Award Shortlist 2003
– EAA Annual Awards for Architecture 2004: President’s Medal

Tiree Arts from the west, edge of beach

Summary

Client: Tiree Arts Enterprise – Brian Milne
Collaborators: Jake Harvey (Artist)
Donald Urquhart (Artist)
Glen Onwin (Artist)
Sandra Kennedy (Artist)
David Narro (Structural Engineer)
Contractor: Inscape Joinery – Bridge structure
Euan Harvey – Steel cube structure
Arthur Elliot – Walls / Concrete work
Value: £ 95,000
Time Span: Design inception Jul 2000
Completion: Feb 2003

all an turas images below by sutherland hussey architects:

RIBA Stirling Prize
view from east

Tiree Ferry Shelter
full view from south-west

Further Reading

An Turas Architects: Sutherland Hussey – www.sutherlandhussey.co.uk

Journey to find art in Tiree by Duncan MacMillan
http://news.scotsman.com/archive.cfm?id=767502003
15.07.03
Herald article by Martin Williams
http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/1604.html
30.09.03
Guardian article
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,6903,1163753,00.html
07.03.04

An Turas – Plans, Sections & Elevations

Tiree An Turas RIAS Award for Architecture Tiree Scotland

Previous An Turas Images released by Sutherland Hussey Architects end of June 2003 prior to opening:

Scotland RIAS Award for Architecture Tiree Best Building in Scotland

An Turas Tiree Tiree Shelter RIAS Award for Architecture An Turas

Tiree
an turas projected view from east

RIAS information frpm 2003:

23 October 2003

And The Winner Is… A Ferry Shelter

Tiree Ferry Shelter Award

An Turas, Tiree is the winner of the RIAS Award for Architecture, Best Building in Scotland 2003.

An Turas, a Scottish Arts Council funded project for Architect, Artist and Engineer to collaborate in making a structure for the island of Tiree, was created by Sutherland Hussey Architects with Jake Harvey, Glen Onwin, Donald Urquhart and Sandra Kennedy. The £100,000 project, completed in March 2003, was described by the judging panel for the award as “small, simple and sophisticated, reticent, refined and rigorous, a modern interpretation of the Gazebo and a stunning architectural experience”.

The award was established last year in recognition of the growing number of innovative, exciting new buildings in Scotland. Building projects of all sizes and types from across the country were eligible for the award, but must have demonstrated innovation, design excellence and competence. Other considerations for the judges were: detailing of materials, sustainable design, technical ability and aesthetic appeal.

The judging panel spent three days visiting a wide variety of projects from around Scotland. The five finalists were chosen as the best examples of new building design in Scotland, which matched the stringent criteria of the award. Summarising the judges’ comments on the winner, Professor Andy MacMillan said:

“Poetically named An Turas, A Journey, it is small, simple and sophisticated, reticent, refined and rigorous, a modern interpretation of the Gazebo and a stunning architectural experience. Not a shelter, but a place in which to experience Tiree, the big sky, the unending wind and water, the beauty of the island and its squalor.

This impeccably detailed small building is the result of a creative collaboration of architects, artists and an engineer, located at the place of arrival and departure from the island it cannot be missed.

A paradigm of Tiree, the journey between its walls simultaneously reveals the idealised view of sea and ethnic housing, while making visible the big sky above, and by its exclusion by the sheltering walls, the ever-present wind. Arrival in the glass box reveals a triptych of views. To the left, the dry stane dyke, the upthroughst power pole and its trailing wires and the out of place Victorian bye law house.

To the right, the pier – the place of first and last impression, the “Pizza Hut”-like ticket and waiting rooms for the ferry, the container and lorry park, the pebbledash bungalows on the road. And finally, when it rains, the glass roof holds the blown water long enough to create a shifting pattern of light and a waterfall down the glass front.

A place of subtle insight, poetically conceived, stunning in its import, immaculately constructed.”

Western Isles an turas: from the south-west

The RIAS Award was presented to Sutherland Hussey at the Point Conference Centre, Edinburgh on 23 October.

The judges for the 2003 award were:

Andrew Doolan, Andrew Doolan Architects, Edinburgh;
Professor Andy MacMillan OBE, Emeritus Professor, Mackintosh School of Architecture;
Julia Barfield MBE, Marks Barfield Architects; London;
Irene Barkley, President Edinburgh Architectural Association

The shortlist was:

An Turas, Tiree (WINNER)
Sutherland Hussey Architects with Jake Harvey, Glen Onwin, Donald Urquhart & Sandra Kennedy
Westport, Edinburgh
Reiach and Hall Architects
Mossman Houses, Edinburgh
Arcade Architects
Radisson SAS Hotel, Glasgow
Gordon Murray + Alan Dunlop Architects

During the RIAS Festival Exhibition 2003, Scotland the Brave, visitors were asked to vote for their favourite featured building:- 1st – An Turas Tiree – Sutherland Hussey Architects with Jake Harvey, Sandra Kennedy, Glen Onwin and Donald Urquhart

EAA Annual Awards for Architecture 2004: President’s Medal
Sutherland Hussey Architects: An Turas

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