The west coast of Scotland, in the raw natural landscape lies the architectural work Midden Studio created by the team from the studio Weave. Midden Studio is a vernacular piece that takes inspiration from the surrounding farm buildings, granite rocks and Scottish baronial style. But at the same time, it has a modern touch and retains its authentic personality. This zinc-plated studio is an example of how architecture can be in harmony with nature and show a new dimension in home design. „The artist has a long connection to the site and much of her practice is associated with peoples’ relation to places, so the architects have enmeshed the studio with the landscape.“
Located right on the banks of a stream on the coast of Scotland, its design is well thought out to blend in with its surroundings, although at first glance the gray bunker stands out as something miscellaneous in the forest. The studio uses local materials, mainly granite, which is a traditional building material in this area. „Recalling simultaneously the vernacular agricultural buildings nearby, the granite rocks that punctuate the landscape, and the flourish of the ‘Scottish Baronial’ style, the new studio intends to silently immerse itself in this ancient landscape, only revealing its surreal details on closer inspection.“ This project maintains “localness”, is created from local resources and carries the spirit of the place. „The granite rock surrounding the studio is echoed in the rusticated zinc, which reflects Eddie Blake’s ongoing preoccupation with the transmutation of materials.“ Nature itself designs its form. From a bird’s eye view, we can see how these two volumes overlap each other, while they are slightly offset from each other, but they are identical in size. The exterior of the Midden Studio is covered in a rough zinc facade pattern that creates texture and contrasts with the surrounding rocks. This pattern is inspired by the history of continental influence on Scottish architecture and is based on Italian patterns, specifically the Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara. Thanks to this unique texture and finish, Midden Studio becomes a distinctive point in the forest landscape.
The main idea of Midden Studio is to provide the artist with a space where he can be inspired by nature and create. The interior of the studio is designed to be as spacious and full of light as possible. The studio itself is unique – its design allows the artist to follow the flow of the stream below and be pleasantly carried away by the sound of the water. The interior is completely covered with spruce plywood. „Structurally the studio has been designed to withstand the extreme conditions of the site, and the raw zinc will age with dignity, becoming well-tuned with the landscape over time.“
Architecture: Studio Weave
Photography: Johnny Barrington
