Grand Designs House of the Year 2025 is remote Scottish home praised for 'distinct character'
The home in the Outer Hebrides won for its innovative and budget-conscious design
A Scottish home has been recognised among the most inspiring new-builds in the UK, showcasing the creativity and innovation emerging from the country’s architectural scene. The RIBA House of the Year 2025, as followed on Grand Designs: House of the Year, has been awarded to Caochan na Creige, a small, sculptural self-build in the Outer Hebrides, marking an extraordinary achievement for a budget-conscious, emerging architectural practice.
Over recent weeks, the Channel 4 series presented by Kevin McCloud alongside architect Damion Burrows and conservation architect Natasha Huq, has toured Britain’s most inspiring new homes. The judging panel, in partnership with the Royal Institute of British Architects, assessed a shortlist of seven projects that showcase contemporary residential design, from rural retreats to sensitive conversions rooted in craft.
The judges highlighted Caochan na Creige for its ingenuity and careful attention to context. “To do a project like this in such a remote location on that budget (£167,000) required a partnership that is really admirable. An amazing achievement against lots of odds,” said the RIBA judges.
The home was designed and hand-built by architects Eliidh and Jack Arundell, founders of their own practice established in Edinburgh in 2018. Caochan na Creige, which translates as ‘little quiet one by the rock,’ is set on a rocky outcrop in a small crofting community and constructed from Lewisian Gneiss quarried nearby.
This ancient stone, among the oldest on the planet, shapes the home’s distinctive plan and forms the 130-degree angle between the front kitchen and dining space and the rear living area.
Originally intended as a two-storey, 200-square-metre house, the design was scaled back when contractor quotes exceeded the couple’s budget. The Arundells then redesigned and built the 85-square-metre home themselves over Christmas 2021, producing a compact but generous interior.
The judges praised its “restrained but richly textured interior,” noting the warm-toned lime plaster walls, polished concrete floors embedded with local aggregate, Scottish larch ceilings, and finely crafted beech joinery. “Every room has a distinct character and a strong relationship to the wider context,” they said.
Caochan na Creige’s living spaces are shaped around a sculptural boulder on site, creating a subtle harmony with the rugged Hebridean landscape.
Positioned to capture sweeping sea views, the house exemplifies a growing trend of architect-designed, ultra-contemporary homes in Scotland’s remote rural areas.
It follows award-winning projects such as Lochside House by Haysom Ward Miller, RIBA House of the Year 2018, and Ann Nisbet Studio’s Cuddymoss, winner of the RIBA'S Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award in 2023.
The 2025 shortlist included Hastings House by Hugh Strange Architects, Triangle House by Artefacte, Jankes Barn by Lynch Architects, London Brut by Pricegore Architects, Housestead by Sanei + Hopkins, and Amento by James Gorst Architects.
The judges toured each home, evaluating pioneering eco builds and restored heritage projects before selecting the seven finalists, and ultimately awarding Caochan na Creige the top honour.