The island of Easdale, deeply rooted in the history of slate—a noble material that has sculpted its identity—becomes the foundation for a contemporary reflection. The project weaves a narrative through its territory, offering visitors a journey punctuated by unique spaces: here, a natural pool nestles between the stones; there, a shelter invites contemplative pause; further along, a campsite blends seamlessly within a ruin, while a skimming stone ramp hosts international competitions. These interventions, designed in harmony with the landscape, find their anchor in the reimagining of the island’s gateway: the Easdale ferry terminal, envisioned as a scenographic entrance to this grand landscape.

Gateway Architecture: The Maritime Terminal
A monumental slate retaining wall, inspired by historical dykes, facilitates the transition from maritime arrival to the island’s first village streets. This infrastructure reinforces the shores, stabilizes the terrain, and creates a solid foundation for welcoming visitors. In harmony with the natural lines of the existing landscape, the project extends grassy areas directly from the village fabric, blending seamlessly with the island’s homes and facilities. These spaces promote community interaction and enrich daily life for residents while providing inviting rest areas for visitors.
The terminal integrates smoothly into this infrastructure, merging organically with the landscape. By combining contemporary aesthetics with essential functions, it strengthens Easdale’s insular identity, celebrates its material heritage, and sustainably enhances the island’s quality of life.

Programming and Spatial Organization
The project unfolds through a natural vertical stratification, skillfully leveraging the site’s topography. At the lower level, near the quay, a new slate structure nestles at the base of the existing house, housing ferry-related infrastructure: offices, lockers, and restrooms. These dykes create a rooftop belvedere terrace, offering a privileged viewpoint over the port landscape.
In a commanding position, the former ferry house is transformed into a café, standing as a landmark in the landscape. Its promontory location is emphasized with a panoramic terrace overlooking the port, establishing it as the vibrant heart of the project. This two-level organization ensures clear separation of flows while fostering complementary uses, seamlessly integrating public facilities and maritime spaces. This architectural and landscape intervention, deeply rooted in the site’s history, turns slate into the unifying thread of an authentic and sustainable tourist experience. It demonstrates how industrial heritage and contemporary development can coexist in respectful dialogue, enriching both in the process.

Materiality and Implementation
The terminal’s main building employs an innovative hybrid construction, combining the technical precision of concrete with the expressiveness of slate. A reinforced concrete structure ensures stability and resistance to maritime constraints, while a cladding of massive slate envelops the building. This duality responds to contemporary technical demands while preserving local identity. Peripheral retaining walls use the traditional technique of slate stacking, incorporating seating and planters into the design.
Ground treatment varies according to usage: opus incertum paving for high-traffic areas, massive slate borders for delineation, traditional cobblestones for transitional and inclined zones, and crushed slate for less frequented spaces. This diversity of implementation meets technical requirements while creating a coherent visual richness.
The roofs, visible from elevated viewpoints, receive special attention. The terminal extension features a green roof with crushed slate as a substrate, promoting the growth of native vegetation. Slate stepping stones and vertical slate parapets complete the design, ensuring seamless landscape integration while efficiently managing rainwater.

This projects makes an original interpretation of the Ferry office as an infrastructure for the Island. It is both an architecture, an urban and landscape object, all in one gesture, for its architectural expression seamlessly integrates in the landscape of the Island. The final result gives the impression that it is a natural component part of the composition. Silent, humble yet rich with its program, the project offers a good selection of amenities, judicially interpreting the given program both for passengers and ferrymen.

The choice of materials helps the building blend in the environment, highlighting the material history of slate, while still offering light and warmth in the interior spaces. All in all, it offers a unique experience to visitors, showcasing views without obstructing any

In addition to enhancing the operational efficiency and comfort of Easdale’s ferrymen and improving the passenger experience, the Easdale City Gate aims to become a new landmark in the island’s landscape, reinterpreting and extending the concept of a city gate. The proposed volume not only serves as the main passage and arrival/departure point to the island, but also as a place for socializing, sharing, and learning.
Beyond its architectural, functional, and landscape aspects, the project also carries a social responsibility, aiming to promote and strengthen conscious and sustainable tourism, while also addressing the practical needs of the community.
The existing stone building will be repurposed as an Info Point, becoming a focal point for the island’s trail system and natural points of interest, where visitors can ask about activities and events or rent equipment for hiking, snorkelling or free-diving in quarry pools.

Positioned orthogonally to the existing building, the new volume follows the most common architectural form – a single-story cottage with a pitched roof – and consists of two buildings: the new Ferrymen’s Office and the Ferry Waiting Room, linked by a central roof that creates a new public space and the main passage for accessing the island. The Ferrymen’s Office enhances and improves the quality of the spaces for ferrymen, offering them a suitable office area, a resting space between crossings, and a laundry for drying clothes and equipment. The Ferry Waiting Room, characterized by two large openings toward the surrounding landscape, provides a comfortable environment for tourists and islanders to wait for the ferry, as well as facilities for the community and visitors, including public restrooms, showers, and laundry services.

Transparency and opacity play an essential role in the architectural language of the Easdale City Gate, as they define privacy and the public-private relationship. Blind walls alternate with openings of varying sizes, creating relationships between the built structure and the landscape that change depending on the function of the spaces. In areas where internal-external permeability is maximized and the public sphere prevails, such as in the waiting room, large windows capture and enhance the stunning panoramic views and the strategic location of the project area. Conversely, in more private spaces, like the Ferrymen’s Office, the openings are smaller and focused on ensuring an adequate amount of natural light for the interiors.

The relationship between transparency and opacity is also emphasized by the choice of materials. The volumes of the buildings are clad in slate-grey steel, a material resistant to salt air due to the coastal location and weather conditions, while connecting elements, such as the central roof and the volume linking the Ferrymen’s Office and Info Point, are made of translucent polycarbonate. The unusual use of materials stems from the desire to move away from those commonly used on the island, creating a new, recognizable symbol in the landscape while respecting the architectural styles and colours typical of Easdale.

The new building contrasts sharply with the old in materials yet resonates with the village’s architectural form. The covered void extends the texture while creating a distinct gate- a point of separation for arrivals and a convergence for departures. The intervention is both effortless and precise.

The main idea of the project is to create a space that preserves Easdale’s heritage while simultaneously introducing a distinctive contemporary structure. This balance is designed to capture interest and provide amenities for both the local community and visitors. The name “New Horizon” stems from both the building’s design and the experience it offers. The building’s curved shape and varying heights create a wave-like silhouette which complements the surrounding sea and the island’s hills. This connection to the landscape is further enhanced by the beautiful views of the outdoors from within the interior.

A longitudinal shape was inspired by traditional houses in Easdale and Scotland. With the purpose to achieve the different experiences and ambience, both inside and out, the curvature of the building was created. The existing structure of the Ferrymen’s office is kept and expanded, while the previous passenger waiting room is removed. As the building meanders, it creates convex and concave outdoor spaces, the most prominent of which is the concave plaza in front of the Community Hall, from which the terminal can be accessed. The idea is to create a community hub along with the Community Hall and pub near the site.

Slate, a material deeply tied to Easdale’s history, is used for the roof tiles and wall cladding, similar to the existing ferrymen’s office. Furthermore, the existing roof of the current building is raised, better insulated and the gutter is hidden within the cross section. The interior design of the terminal is simple and welcoming, featuring plenty of wood and tactile surfaces that combine modern elements, natural color palette and a rustic feel to create a cozy atmosphere and a sense of connection to the landscape.

In general, the functions of the new terminal can be grouped into three main categories: the ferrymen’s office, camping amenities, and public spaces.

The most prominent part of the building is the area with the public spaces, located in the middle of the building. It consists of flexible retail and commercial rooms, passenger waiting room, and public toilets. Much of the facade in this section of the building is glazed, providing enhanced views and a sense of openness. On the south side, retractable curtain walls connect the indoor corridor to the outdoor concave plaza. The flexible retail spaces support the community’s ‘DIY’ culture, allowing locals to sell goods. During peak seasons, these spaces can be adapted for various commercial uses, such as a grocery store, luggage storage, tourist guides. The waiting room, integrated with the retail area, is positioned to offer an almost 180-degree uninterrupted view of the sea. This allows visitors to enjoy the beautiful surroundings while observing the arrival and departure of ferry boats.

Through adaptive reuse and thoughtful expansion, the New Horizon terminal becomes more than a functional transit hub. It evolves into a welcoming gateway to the island, celebrating its heritage while shaping a future that attracts and supports its community and tourism.

The New Horizon builds upon the existing structure, envisioning a transformative journey that evolves from a linear design to a fluid and dynamic form in both elevation and floor plan. This creates an elegant and refined architectural gesture. By aligning the project’s scale, approach, and materialization more closely with the simplicity of the island architecture, it could achieve a deeper harmony with its context.

Our proposal for the Easdale Ferry Office comes from our understanding of the rich heritage and landscape of Easdale. Of course, that should be said about any project, but in the case of Easdale the history and landscape of the island are intertwined in a unique and very special way.
We visited the island, enjoyed the short trip on the ferry, and walked around the island – noticing the prevailing materiality of the place. We observed a beautiful synergy between the widespread historic slate excavations and the terrain of the island. There is a particularly geological quality to the place, and our proposal was informed directly by those observations.
In developing our design, we were interested in themes such as layering of landscape and buildings, natural and made shelter, the horizon, and the beautiful views – particularly to the north and west of the site.

Our project, An Fasgadh (The Shelter) seeks to create a prominent landmark; a beacon when viewed from Ellenabeich on Seil; and especially from the Easdale Ferry. The proposed building is split in two parts. Firstly, a tall slender form containing the waiting area, and a second, more modest form containing ancillary spaces for the Ferrymen and the toilets and showers for visitors to the island. Between these two interventions is the existing ferry office, which we propose to refit internally in a similar way to the new parts. The charming exterior of the original building is retained – giving a clear reference to the heritage of the place among the confident, contemporary interventions of the new buildings.
These three elements create a clear threshold, marking the arrival point for the island in the space to the north-east of the building, along with a more sheltered, enclosed external space to the south-west. We hope this arrangement gives purpose and integration to the way the scheme interacts with its location.

The main waiting room is located in a tall singular space, with modest and simple interior design – ensuring focus on the wonderful views (defined by two picture windows) to the landscape / seascape beyond.
Our proposal seeks to employ sustainable / renewable forms of energy (ground source heating, and solar pv), and is designed in a way that the building could be largely pre-fabricated and delivered to site on a flat barge (the same kind of vessel which removes the large communal waste containers from the end of the harbour, just along from the site).
The materiality of the proposed building is a direct reference to the place – seeking to integrate visually with the harbour walls. The form of the new building(s) is a monolithic mass, following the excavated cliffs, the residual walls, and the abandoned gables which are located all over the island.
We hope our design creates a new man-made (but vaguely natural, geological) addition to the landscape; a marker on the horizon; a threshold; and a shelter which makes time for the beautiful landscape to be fully appreciated.

Fasgadh captivates with its compact design, natural stone materialization (if realized in this medium), and archaic presence. By minimizing the footprint to the smallest possible build space, it exemplifies one of the most impactful and sustainable design choices.

To begin the project, our team’s primary focus was to understand the existing structure and its relationship to the site. Since the project did not have a required square footage, the existing office became a guide for defining the scope of our proposal. To preserve the original building, we developed our design as an addition along the northern edge of the office. This expansion reaches toward the harbor, becoming visible to travelers from Ellenabeich and the harbor inlet, while offering transparency for ferry passengers heading to the far side of the island.

The strategy of using the existing office as a defining element also influenced the scale of our addition. The final proposal is modest in size, respecting the spirit of the site and the needs of its users.

The arrangement of spaces within the new and existing building draws inspiration from the common rowhouse typology found on the island. The program is organized into three main components: the office, a waiting area with restrooms, and a laundry facility. These elements are arranged linearly, with shared party walls providing separation. As the proposal evolved, the gabled form of the rowhouse was reinterpreted as a more modern structure, establishing the ferry station as an iconic building on the island that will greet new arrivals.

To unify the form with the site and the natural landscape of Easdale, the proposal is clad in slate shingles that wrap across the exterior walls and roof to the ground. Additionally, the existing rocky shoreline along the passenger arrival dock is extended and pulled toward the building, meeting the slate exterior at the base of the structure. The interior of the addition is finished with white-painted concrete, inspired by many of the surrounding buildings.

Our goal is to create a space that enhances the visitor experience while avoiding the possibility of overstepping the impact of this new architecture on the island.

The project prioritizes architectural expression with a striking roofing volume.

Place & Geology
The design consists of fragments that engage with the island’s rich slate history, forming an ensemble that responds to the site’s extraordinary views. Each fragment is carefully positioned to frame vistas across the harbour and the ferry’s route, celebrating both the journey and the surrounding landscape. These framed views serve a functional purpose, offering a space of quiet contemplation as visitors observe the ferry’s passage.

The buildings are separated, creating a slate-lined passageway that frames views toward the island and the sea. Drawing inspiration from the island’s geological strata, the design responds to the movement of slate layers slipping into the ocean, connecting visitors with the site. The project is driven by place, influencing its form, materiality, and programme. The geological nature of the design fosters a sense of permanence, making the fragments feel as though they have always been part of the landscape—familiar yet subtly transformative.

Island Programme
The design is conceived as three distinct fragments emerging from the ground, reminiscent of slate formations from the historic mines. Each fragment serves a specific function, blending contemplative and practical spaces for changing, showering, and cleaning. 

A waiting room offers framed views of the harbour and ferry routes, capturing the essence of the island while celebrating the act of arrival and departure. The changing and shower facilities are designed to support visitors using nearby camping facilities, with bathrooms, drying areas, laundry, and outdoor showers, fostering a connection with the surrounding seascape.

The sauna offers a unique, immersive experience within the landscape to further attract sustainable tourism to the island, interconnecting with nearby walks. It provides both residents and visitors a new way to connect with the island during their journey and stay.

Finally, the renovated ferryman’s office meets current building regulations, providing a comfortable, warm resting space for ferrymen. The exterior looks to connect with nearby buildings, while internal insulation improves energy efficiency.

Sustainable Construction
The proposed buildings are wrapped in large, locally sourced slate panels, connecting the design to the site’s cultural heritage and significantly reducing the project’s carbon footprint. A lightweight timber frame forms the backbone of the structures, with sustainable insulation utilising wood fibre to create breathable, environmentally friendly spaces.

Internally, lime plaster and timber linings reflect local, natural, and traditional materials, reinforcing the sense of place while maintaining harmony with the surroundings.

The hard landscaping mirrors the journey from the ferry, guiding visitors up the slipway and through the slate-framed passageways. The ground treatment transitions from larger slate tiles to smaller pavers, eventually blending seamlessly into the island’s existing landscape. Like the natural transition of shale into the island’s greenery and urban fabric, the design creates a careful integration between the built and natural environments.

The conceptual intentions of the project are elegantly articulated through well crafted, carefully photographed models, and diagrams. Formally, spatially and materially the proposal is ambitious and rich, whilst maintaining a level of restraint that is appropriate for this site.

The project proposes a novel solution for creating a workspace for the ferrymen of Easdale Island while providing a welcoming space for the island’s visitors. The design incorporates the adaptive reuse of an existing stone building, complemented by a new architectural volume. The existing structure serves as a central module, while the new volume “embraces” it from two sides, establishing a harmonious dialogue between old and new elements. A transitional “buffer zone” connects the new addition to the historic stone building. Externally, this zone visually separates the two volumes, preserving the identity of the original structure. Internally, it integrates the stone walls into the interior of the new building, fostering a direct interaction with the site’s history. For instance, the exposed stone masonry appears in shared visitor areas and even within the shower space, enhancing the connection between architecture and heritage.

Functionally, the existing building complements the new structure. It is divided into two main spaces: a visitor entry area leading to a public restroom and a shared lounge, and a secondary area designated for the ferrymen’s equipment storage and drying needs. The new volume is thoughtfully divided into two distinct zones: one for visitors and the other for ferrymen.

Visitor Zone: This area includes a waiting lounge designed as an amphitheater, oriented towards large glazed windows offering stunning views of Easdale Island. Visitors can also relax in a cozy lounge area with a fireplace and enjoy light meals. Sleeping accommodations are provided for those requiring rest or overnight stays. Additionally, there is a separate restroom and shower for visitor use.

The new architectural volume is constructed using sustainable materials: wooden load-bearing structures, a timber-clad façade, interior plywood finishes, and CLT panels for internal partitions. The connecting zone features metal sheets, introducing a modern contrast to the natural elements.

Our goal was to create a simple yet cozy space that serves the practical needs of ferrymen and visitors alike while blending seamlessly into the island’s picturesque landscape. The design emphasizes harmony with Easdale’s natural beauty and respects its architectural heritage.

The proposal creates a playful form integrating the new addition with the existing building. The resulting new interior volumes are maximised and exploited to offer both accommodation and view.

As the ferry approaches (location name), passengers notice from afar an unusual object that captures their attention. It is a pavilion rising above the ground, spiraling upwards with elegance. Its crystal-like walls glow like a firefly, and the structure transforms as it ascends—from a classic silhouette with a pitched roof to a minimalist rectangular form.

The pavilion symbolizes ascent—each step upward brings more light, openness, and spaciousness. It is an allegory for the simplification of form paired with the enrichment of content, where minimalism reflects depth and intention. Upon arriving at the shore, visitors can ascend the pavilion along its spiral path. At every level, they encounter new viewpoints, offering breathtaking panoramas of the surrounding landscape and helping them orient themselves within the space.

The striking form of the pavilion makes it both a visual landmark and a symbol of the location, capable of inspiring visitors. This architectural object will not only serve as a signature feature of the region but also as 
a magnet for tourists, boosting visitor numbers. In turn, 
this will stimulate the development of the tourism industry and act as a catalyst for growth in other sectors of the economy, reinforcing the region’s status as a hub of inspiration and attraction.

High-quality architecture can become a powerful driver of change and transformation, influencing both people 
and the identity of a place.

Interesting sculptural approach to design, with play of light and openness. The approach does help to create a unique place that can further drive tourism to the place.

The strength of Easdale’s natural and cultural landscape informs and guides every aspect of the design process. Carefully balanced between the natural and the artificial, Easdale’s human occupation consists of small buildings interspersed with open lawns extending toward the horizon, respecting the topography and tides. Naturally a shelter and formerly an enclosure that supported the ferrymen crew, the “house” stands out as a tectonic-constructive testimony of human intervention on the island, entirely crafted in slate, without any additional cladding. At last, sculpted by the sea and time, the bay harmoniously mediates the island’s small-scale navigation with the unobstructed views of the landscape, serving as a link between civilization and nature.

The design originates from the spatial and material prominence of the former ferrymen office, now converted into the Easdale Island Memorial, due to its representativeness as a symbol of local material wealth and ancestral constructive wisdom. Essentially, the additional programs required for the island’s dynamics are infrastructural. Thus, the proposal is synthesized by a satellite building, discreetly integrated into the coastal geography, offering dignity to the ferrymen’s work, hospitality for tourists, and convenience for campers.

Partially buried, this pavilion is positioned as a direct extension of the Memorial, perpendicular to it and parallel to Easdale’s town hall. The building’s only visible element from the surface is a slightly elevated platform, a roof that suggests the existence of a space below. Spatially, this silent architecture accommodates three main programs addressing the competition’s demands: I. Reception and assistance for tourists; II. Facilities and office for ferrymen; III. Sanitary facilities for camping.  

These programs are sequentially arranged in a pavilion-style floor plan — the width of which matches the exact length of the Memorial building. They provide both privacy and selective integration, allowing for interactions tailored to administrative needs. Cloistered toward the southeast, to the town hall and other facilities, the building opens itself entirely to the bay, in its northwest direction, visually connecting users to the island’s predominantly natural character. Visitors access the building from the northeast through an underground promenade adjacent to the Memorial, while the camping infrastructure is discreetly accessed on the southwest façade, near the surrounding lawns. The ferrymen enjoy dual access from both entries, due to the central location of their office on the plan.

Slate is an omnipresent material on the island. In this context, the proposed tectonics for this intervention aim to continue this constructive tradition. Natural stone becomes the input for artificial stone: all structural elements are made of reinforced/prestressed concrete derived from slate, blending the construction into the coastal setting. The association between the covering slab and centrally spaced columns spanned every 6.25m, establishes a spatial matrix of extreme simplicity and flexibility, democratically accessible construction-wise and avoiding significant material or labor transport from the mainland.

Thus, the project stands as a Silent Infrastructure, subtly supporting the overwhelming landscape of Easdale, as if it had always been there.

The ambitious decision to partially submerge the proposal maintains the significance of the existing ferry building whilst generating an elemental sense of protective space. An architectural language resonant of found archaeology.

On an island off the Scottish coast, the Gateway of Easdale welcomes waves of visitors eager to uncover the history hidden behind its mysterious landscapes. Situated between land and sea, the building serves as a landmark for ferrymen who regularly transport travelers.

The comic book presented here tells the immersive story of one of them:
We follow the adventures of a young man named Finn as he explores this island and the new port building, the central focus of our narrative. Through his encounters, particularly with a ferryman, he discovers the history of the place and how the project contributes to social harmony on Easdale. By embodying this ordinary visitor, the main character of our story, the reader is immersed in the heart of the building and can feel the atmosphere emanating from it: the space, the light, and the materials.

From the very first step onshore, a discreet slate wall, seemingly rising from the water, guides you toward the project. Inside, this guiding element transforms into a massive wall built with the local material: slate. This wall serves as the backbone of the structure, along which a series of interconnected rooms are organized. These spaces open, on one side, to the bay (waiting rooms and the ferrymen’s quarters) and, on the other, to a convivial square (laundry, wheelbarrow parking, and the ferrymen’s offices). A distinction between the two façades becomes apparent: the northwest-facing façade is largely glazed to provide breath taking views of the landscape, while the other interacts with neighboring buildings through more traditional sash windows.

In addition to its structural role in supporting the roof, the central wall plays a crucial role in the interior spatiality by expressing the very essence of the island: slate.

Beneath this large roof, public spaces and private areas for the ferrymen coexist harmoniously. The separation and articulation between these two functions are gently achieved through a “covered outdoor space“, allowing all users to remain sheltered while accessing the various areas. This bend in the plan creates a belvedere and an ingenious detail that channels rainwater toward the sea through a ground-integrated gutter.

Inspired by local vernacular architecture, the building integrates with the site’s traces by following the existing topography. This approach, for instance, allowed the natural slope to accommodate tiered seating in the waiting room facing the bay. The showers and toilets are nestled against existing ruined walls, creating an independent volume that enhances the spatial quality of the main square.

Finally, the intervention on the existing building is minimal. Positioned directly on the square, it invites residents to gather, either inside, where tables and benches have been added, or outside, enjoying coffee served through a newly created opening in the gable façade.

In conclusion, the building respects and highlights the island by showcasing its landscape, traditions, and resources. This architecture, mindful of its environment, fosters social connections by creating public spaces oriented toward nature.

Easdale in a frame impresses not only with its narrative and immersive presentation but also with its unexaggerated, materially responsible approach that celebrates the distinct local material Slate –  used different in each building. When constructing with natural stone, the ‘wall’ could be envisioned as both the structural backbone of the project and not only as the architectural centrepiece of the building.

While designing an architectural intervention in a place of very defined and sublime qualities, one must ask: Where can you put yourself on a scale between blending with the existing context and making a statement? One should consider whether the architecture they create should be predominantly seen or if it is for the surroundings visible from it to play a key role.

With XYZ we have decided to position ourselves in a difficult spot of a merge between these two ideas. Our linear addition does not interfere visually with the existing building, it seems to stem from the cliff beneath the old ferryman’s house. Its horizontal silhouette hanging over the sea is the first thing a traveller sees when entering the harbour on a boat, yet. At the same time, being looked at from the hills of Easdale Island, the waiting room resembles one of the natural stone piers, thanks to the usage of slate for the external finishes. Because of that, we are creating an additional value to the island, yet we do not overwhelm its stunning nature.

To elevate the comfort of the ferrymen’s everyday lives, we dedicated half of the new building to their necessities. A changing room with storage, toilets, and showers is now located at the lower level with the new private entrance, making it convenient to use yet away from tourists’ eyes. The old house, which is now connected with an internal staircase, is left for office work and rest. Being unchanged from the outside, it still is a living heritage of the island.

The other half of the building provides facilities for the tourists. It begins with a room dedicated to a small souvenir shop. From there, a visitor may decide to follow the shine from their right only to find themself passing by a series of interactive expositions teaching them about the island’s interesting history and nature. Then, they reach the waiting room, with extensive windows, showcasing breathtaking Scottish landscape. Placed directly over the sea, one can not only see the mountains and cliffs of surrounding peninsulas but also spot an incoming ferry. Heading to an exit, honesty box, AED and restrooms may be spotted, all placed conveniently by the main door.

The best of all projects. A delightful way of respecting the context and the history, putting the volume under the ground.

Easdale tells a story of human intervention. It represents a storied past; an island transformed by industry and the ability of its inhabitants to utilise a naturally occurring resource. The former slate quarries serve as a lasting reminder of human intervention in the landscape and of a once-booming industry. Over time, these quarries have evolved into extraordinary natural pools, bringing with them an uplift of tourism. Despite this, the island remains equally as inaccessible as it was during the peak slate mining of the 19th century. 

With a long-term vision of promoting regeneration and sustainability, ‘Ferryman’s Pass’ proposes a physical link between Easdale and Ellenabiech, offering a connection that unlocks the potential of the island for its community. The proposal identifies the former slipways and dilapidated piers between Easdale and Ellenabiech as the points of connection between island and mainland, and through a series of interventions across the island, capitalises on Easdale’s story of remarkable transformation. This bridge ensures the island can remain accessible in all weather conditions, inviting travellers to explore its adventurous charm year-round, and ensuring that the potential of Easdale is supported by its infrastructure. To retain its secluded charm, the bridge takes cues from the old quarry tramway, returning to the island at night and allowing Easdale to control access.

To ensure the long-term regeneration of the island, a tollbooth functions as a viewpoint, place of rest and a point of transaction, where the community can earn revenue from tourists as they pay a toll to continue their journey. The tollbooth is an offering to the community and travellers alike, and users are encouraged to experience the surrounding landscapes from this vantage point, with a series of openings that frame views across the island. Meanwhile, the observation deck below the tollbooth allows refuge and engagement with the wildlife. The Tollbooth also provides a sustainable energy source in the form of Tidal Turbines. The energy generated via the turbines will be used to operate the bridge, with excess energy stored for use on the island or to generate revenue.

With the role of the ferryman no longer required in its traditional sense, the existing Ferryman’s office is redefined into separate uses, with a path through the existing hut that defines a route between the harbour master’s office and a parcel store, honesty box and defibrillator. By utilising the shell of the existing office, the Ferryman’s Pass forms a new arrival point and symbolises a revitalised approach to Easdale that treasures Easdale’s architectural heritage.

Through the introduction of a physical connection, the proposal identifies a number of industrial relics located across the island. These buildings, although in a state of disrepair, have remained embedded in their landscape for the best part of a century. Capitalising on the island’s rich heritage, interventions are placed into these relics, becoming amenities for tourists with WCs, showers and sheltered communal spaces. 

The proposal goes beyond the thinking of the site and looks at future programming the island as a whole rather than restricting thinking to a ferry office. The design also looks at increasing accessibility by other modes, encouraging users to explore the place as a whole. Moreover, these ideas are graphically well represented.

‘Hugging Hut’ suggests poetic yet playful architecture for Easdale by transforming an old building into a stunning ring-shaped structure accommodating a ferry office and leisure space.

First, this project begins by uncovering the hidden value of the original office building. The original ferry office and waiting room are outdated, dark, and closed off from the landscape. However, they feature a traditional architectural form, the ‘Gable,’ and occupy a valuable location near Easdale’s City Hall and a bay. To both enhance the gable structure and connect the ferry office with the City Hall and the bay, the ring shape is adopted as the main design language. By enhancing and extending the gable structure of the existing office into a stunning ring shape, ‘Hugging Hut’ envisions a serene space and courtyard that connects to the landscape and ocean.

Second, small spaces are arranged along the ring, facing both the landscape and the courtyard. The slightly linear spaces and outdoor deck provide a panoramic view for visitors during their stay in Easdale. The tough ground of slate gravel within the ring area creates a tranquil atmosphere in the courtyard, while the waving bay water entering the courtyard brings a vibrant dynamic. The courtyard embraces a path from the ferry office to the City Hall, allowing visitors to pass through the courtyard or join the spaces of ‘Hugging Hut.’

Third, a variety of architectural programs and layouts are considered. A private office, rest area for office workers, and waiting room for ferry boarding are designed to offer better indoor quality and work efficiency. These spaces are placed next to each other so that workers and visitors can interact easily through the existing windows of the old office building. The ferry office features a one-sided pointed gable to maximize sunlight, and the rest area for workers is separated from the office. The waiting room is located closest to the boarding area and bay, enabling visitors to access it quickly while enjoying the view. Hygiene facilities for visitors and campers, as well as a sauna and swimming deck, are also proposed to enhance the overall experience in Easdale. Sauna use, wild swimming, and stone skipping are well-known cultural activities in Easdale, England.

With all these considerations, ‘Hugging Hut’ would ultimately become both a vibrant and tranquil welcoming space for visitors to Easdale.

This project serves a qualitative experience inside the Ferry Office. The distinction between old and new buildings is hardly noticeable. The waiting spaces are generous, beautifully open to the landscape of the island, and also equipped with useful amenities seamlessly integrating in the spaces.

This proposal reimagines the historic Ferrymen’s Office as a gateway that reflects the island’s rich heritage and natural beauty. The existing stone cottage, just steps from the ferry landing, serves as the foundation of the design. Adaptive reuse transforms the cottage into an entrance and informational hub, featuring historical exhibits, maps, and brochures highlighting the island’s attractions. Retaining its distinctive cobblestone walls and vivid green door, the cottage remains the face of the project, with a widened glass entry and lowered floor to create a more inviting threshold.

A new timber-clad addition sits behind the cottage, acting as a complementary yet contrasting backdrop. The addition includes two main spaces: a private office for the ferrymen and an expansive waiting area for travelers. The ferrymen’s office provides essential amenities such as storage, a kitchenette, a bathroom with a shower, and a woodburning stove. The waiting area, positioned at the water’s edge, offers sweeping views of the surrounding landscape, framed through large glass windows that connect visitors to the north’s rocky hills, Easdale village to the west, and the ferry route to the east. Inside, travelers can find various seating arrangements, a woodburning stove, a small kitchenette for hot drinks, two bathrooms with showers, and a laundry room.

The addition is carefully designed to complement Easdale’s vernacular architecture. Its pitched rooflines and simple geometric forms draw inspiration from the island’s cottages and jagged rocky terrain. Rustic timber with weathered green tones evokes the cliffs and hills, while the strategic use of glass maximizes views, privacy, and energy performance. The separation between the addition and the cottage is emphasized by an offset connection, bridged by a short hallway with expansive glazing.

Site improvements enhance the arrival experience with a landscaped plaza featuring integrated seating, playful viewfinder binoculars, and a “wishing well” donation feature at the ferry drop-off. This plaza offers visitors a place to rest and enjoy the scenery, fostering a welcoming atmosphere as one arrives or departs. A publicly accessible defibrillator, housed in the iconic red telephone booth, remains at the forefront of the site, ensuring safety and easy access. The result is a design that celebrates Easdale’s character, blending history, function, and a deep connection to the land and sea.

TRAMPOLINE is a sequence of three volumes, including the existing one, held together by the typical pitched roof of the island and by a basement arranged to the site’s topography. This becomes the occasion for a maximalist extension towards the water, highlighting a theme that has historically influenced the island’s identity: the enduring symbolic connection between water and land.

The main purpose is to enhance the contrast between the monumentality of the slate plinth built as an agglomeration of gabion wall and the structure above. This ethereal artifact changes in appearance based on the light typical of the Scottish climate, thanks to the reflective qualities of its folded perforated metal façade.

The covered spaces are a clear extension of the existing building which, through a diagonal cut, gives a dimensional dignity to the open space, becoming both a new experiential dock for tourists and the island’s fishermen’s boats. Overall, the new development is designed to blend harmoniously with the landscape, reflecting and enhancing the morphological characteristics of the Easdale buildings, from the pitched roof to the doors, beams and lintels, whose color differentiates each building from the next, and the punctual chimneys that become in the project a continuous profile, symbolizing a theme significant to the ferrymen: the idea of a reference point or lighthouse for their brief crossings.

The island’s farewell path consists of a sequence of spaces arranged along a diagonal cut, leading towards the boat, from the ferrymen’s office to the restroom, and is covered by a canopy. The new ferrymen’s office, located within the existing building, is designed around a central feature that acts as a diaphragm between the operational area and the service area. This device includes several dedicated spaces for the ferrymen’s activities, such as bed spot and a drying room for equipment used during crossings.

A space dedicated to the camping on the island is defined according to the same logic as the office, featuring a central module that houses washing machines for clothes and separates the entrance from the shower area. The bathrooms are designed to offer a break from the impressions of the surrounding nature, offering an experience of different sensual qualities.

Lastly, an outdoor belvedere and the restroom, designed to be completely visually open on two sides, with a large glass opening that offers visitors an opportunity to bid a final farewell to the island.

From a construction perspective, it was decided to use lightweight materials to facilitate transport and assembly. These materials include wood and perforated steel sheets, as well as locally sourced materials such as slate, which required no additional processing due to the selected construction method: the gabion wall. This approach is advantageous because the stone fill settles to the contours of the ground beneath it and possesses such frictional strength that it does not need a foundation. Over time, the strength and effectiveness of the wall can increase as silt and vegetation fill the voids, reinforcing the structure and preventing mineralization of the permeable soil.

The project is a contemporary interpretation of Easdale’s natural and built environment, while most importantly, adding new functions for visitors andinhabitants. The core concept centers on designing sustainable structures, materially and socially- that seamlessly integrate with their surroundings while contributing a distinct architectural identity of the island. Six unpretentious small new structures are carefully arranged in relationship to existing structures, paths and shoreline.

STRUCTURE
The most prominent architectural and constructional element is the gabion walls which serves as load-bearing gables for the sloped sedum roofs. These walls incorporate one of Easdale’s most iconic materials – slate. By filling the metal mesh with small pieces of slate, advanced masonry techniques are avoided while still connecting to the island’s cultural and industrial heritage.

The building volumes are supported using a lightweight pillar-and-beam system with timber panel walls treated with black stain. This makes the structures to blend with the dark shoreline and surrounding landscape, avoiding visual competition with the existing white plaster facades. In contrast, the interiors are finished with plywood paneling, creating a warmer atmosphere.

PROGRAM
To enhance the experience and functional quality for the visitors, the old building has been transformed into a small information – and visitor center with possibility to host small exhibitions about the island. Besides opening up this charmig stone house to the public, the operators can also provide the service of selling and renting essential goods. The office space has been relocated to a connected extension on the south side, ensuring proximity to visitors while providing a quieter and bigger workspace. A separate building provides facilities for the ferry operators, including a kitchen, bathroom, laundry, drying, storage, and rest areas.

The main new volume that directly meets the visitors houses a passenger waiting room with public toilets, showers, and laundry facilities. Since no furnitures are fixed, the space can flexibly be used by the residents throughout the year. The covered area in between offers lockers for short-term visitors and tables for tasks like repacking or preparing food. Additional structures include a storage and workshop for the ferry operators’ heavier equipment and waste management facilities. A small extension at the harbor features a sauna with an outdoor shower, accompanied by a storage for rentable kayaks. This addition offers enhanced recreational opportunities, particularly for campers, divers, and local residents.

COMMUNITY
The new functions encourage spontaneous interaction between seasonal visitors and local residents. While the design improves facilities for visitors, its flexible layout ensures year-round usability for the local community. New facilities also welcome short-term campers to spend the night in the unique nature. The understated architectural language enriches Easdale’s sense of place, balancing tradition with contemporary needs.

Approaching this project, the history and rich culture of Easdale is easily visible. Thus, the real task of the project was to maintain the identity of the existing ferry office whilst effectively bridging between the past and the future. By carefully removing the ornamentation of the old ferryman’s hut and integrating its outer shell into a contemporary, monumental building, the foundation of the past remains present. The new building combines functional spaces with a design that enhances the island’s identity and creates new tourism opportunities.

As a massive monolith the tower rises, creating an awareness of the time passing yet respecting what remains of the ferry office. Constructed from concrete mixed with slate sourced from Easdale quarries, the robust walls provide adequate protection against the island’s unpredictable weather conditions. By using local materials, the project not only reduces the need for imported resources but also creates subtle colour variations and textures that complement the raw beauty of the surrounding area.

The foundation consists of the original ferry office, with its stonework preserved. This place houses the waiting area welcoming both visitors and residents. While the walls are left crude showing a distinct rawness, the interior material palette establishes an inviting atmosphere using tactile materials such as wood and textiles. A fireplace centres the building and provides warmth and comfort on each floor. Windows connect the space to the unique landscape of Easdale, offering views of the approaching ferries. Accessibility is carefully improved by enlarging the doorway of the original building and stretching the left window opening to connect to the new volume.

Just as respecting the harmony between the old and the new, interacting and blurring the boundary between public and private was the next goal. We were interested in splitting the volume into levels where public and private spaces merge seamlessly while keeping the necessary amenities integrated. The interplay between the public and the private opens up toward the neighbourhood on each level of the building and invites people to experience the unique views the building creates.

The public realm stretches as the tower rises. An open staircase invites visitors to a viewing platform at the top of the tower, where panoramic views of the island and the sea complete the experience. The ground floor is completely devoted to the public, housing the sanitary facilities for local campers and the waiting room. The first level reveals a private space for the ferrymen, providing both an administrative area and a place for rest.

The new Easdale ferry office is an architectural statement that combines tradition and modernity. The preservation of the old stone base honours the past, while the addition of the concrete tower establishes a new identity for the island. The design balances monumentality with a human scale, offering a rich experience where history, function, and aesthetics come together. It serves as a symbolic landmark that enhances the unique culture and natural beauty of Easdale.

The project is based on the volume of the existing building, preserved and reproduced 3 times to form an equipment that welcomes ferrymen, visitors and residents. New buildings, while proposing a contemporary design, are inspired by traditional Scottish ’crofts’ (cottages).

The crofts are organised according to their urban use :
– Existing building is used for storage, showering and drying clothes after a ferry crossing – while a new croft has been added to accommodate the ferrymen’s office and rest areas. The offset creates a private entrance to the South and an unobstructed view of the ferry pier to the North.  
– The other 2 crofts are installed lengthways, linked by courtyards. The waiting room is positioned to the North, enjoying the exceptional views over Ellenabeich and more. The sanitary areas are opened to the South and the playpark, so they can be used by visitors and residents.

The project is set in a bank, where the ground underused. The aim is to integrate into Easdale’s way of life, rather than imposing a new functioning. Pathways blends into the local landscape and complement the existing paths to link the ferry and the island’s key features. Visitors are guided as they discover Easdale. Discreet steps allow local residents to quickly reach the local harbour.

New crofts are built to liberate the 4 corners from any obstructing elements. Interior space showcases the landscape and spectacular views. Blind elements are used to support the interior furniture. The large windows display the activity of the building – and its singular colour catches the curiosity of visitors … who now just have to sound the klaxon !

Structure is designed in modules suitable for a workboat, 3 workers and a small trolley – to adapt to the conditions on the island. Modules integrate structure, insulation and finishes. Most of the work will be built elsewhere, reducing the time taken on site. Foundations are on piles, minimising the impact on the natural terrain.

Materials are chosen to reduce the environmental impact – and for their ability to adapt to the Scotland’s coastal climate. We have chosen to source them from within 150 km of Easdale, without any concrete or petrol-based materials :
– structure and finishes are made of locals scots pine and larch, treated only where necessary
– insulation is made from sheep’s wool, wich is breathable, thermally and acoustically efficient, resistant to humidity
– existing Easdale slate is being reused to form retaining walls, highlighting this material that has been part of the island’s history

The project takes advantage of the 2 predominant resources of the Scottish climate : high rainfall and strong winds :
– roofs are fitted with an oversized gutter to collect rainwater – wich is stored under the public building and used in sanitary
– the buildings feature windows with high and low louvres, allowing spaces to be naturally ventilated
– a controlled natural ventilation chimney specifically extracts humid and over-used air from the public sanitary areas

The project for providing a new waiting area for tourists arriving by ferry on Easdale Island aims to create a protected space that harmoniously integrates with the surrounding landscape.
The proposal involves a hillside-shaped cover made of slate, which not only provides shelter from the weather but also serves as an architectural element that is usable both above and below, enriching the visitors’ experience.

Design Concept
The cover, with its undulating shape reminiscent of the island’s soft hills, is designed to be walkable, offering people the opportunity to walk on its surface and enjoy a privileged panoramic viewpoint. Below, the structure transforms into a sheltered resting area, providing comfort and security for those waiting for the ferry and whom choose to camp in the Island. The fluid, natural design blends with the island’s landscape, enhancing its identity and history.

Materials
Slate, a traditional material linked to the island’s mining history, is used for the cover. This material not only offers effective protection against weather elements but also fits perfectly into the surrounding environment, recalling the island’s tradition without disrupting its appearance.
The proposal is designed to be built with the great offer of slate that the Island is providing.
The supporting columns are made of steel, arranged in a 3m x 3m grid, which is light and durable, allowing the structure to be supported without visually overwhelming the architecture. Steel, although contrasting with the slate, integrates well with the island’s industrial character, creating a balance between tradition and innovation. The cover develops like reticular steel structure with slate on top and closed below by wooden panels shaped in 1.50 x 1.50 meters.

Structure and Functionality
The cover is supported by a regular grid of steel columns, spaced 3 meters apart. Each column is designed to support the undulating roof without compromising its visual lightness. Every 3.00 x 3.00 meters module is divided in 1.50 x 1.50 meters frame made of steel knotted thanks to a special intersection knots which allows to incline beams right to create the fluid structure.

The area beneath the cover provides a sheltered resting space, protected from wind and rain, offering a temporary refuge for visitors. This dual functionality of the structure—both as an elevated pathway and as a shelter below—enhances the visitor’s experience, integrating an architectural design element with the natural environment.

The project for the expansion of the waiting area and protective cover for the Easdale ferry terminal addresses practical needs for shelter and usability while simultaneously be a filter between the sea and the ground’s shape of  Easdale Island. The use of slate as the primary material, along with the steel column grid, creates a structure that blends harmoniously with the landscape, maintaining a balance between tradition and modernity. This architectural intervention not only improves the ferry dock’s functionality but also helps to highlight and preserve Easdale’s cultural and natural identity, offering visitors a space to engage with and appreciate the environment in a holistic way.

The Easdale Island is well known for the mining of slate, which covers the roofs of many important buildings up to this day. Nowadays, the population of 130 inhabitants leads a rather curious lifestyle. There are no cars, roads, shops or schools. The lives of the locals are immensely dependent on a small ferry, transporting people to the land from a modest harbor. The competition brief focuses on the harbor area, with the need of a new building, serving for visitors, locals and as a new office space for the ferrymen. Apart from that, the existing office is being adapted because of insufficient capacity and reused for a new purpose.

In the proposal, I am reacting to the rich history of slate mining, local cultural and geographic conditions of the island. The new object is designed as a long slim linear shape set carefully into the terrain in a way that the existing view of the harbor is not covered from the point of view of the arriving ferry. The mass of the building covered with slate is an allusion to walls, whose occurrence in exteriors is common in this region. The light comes in through a narrow opening in the façade, which reinforces the feeling that the building floats above the rocky coast while being its elongation at the same time. Additional light comes through a skylight located on the green roof, that. The entrance located on the side can be reached from a ramp, as the building is deeper in the ground. The entire building is divided into two parts along its length. In the back, bathrooms, changing rooms and storage facilities are located, whereas the front side facing the views contains the main community waiting room, kitchen and dining space and the ferrymen´s office. In my proposal, the focus on community living can be seen in the way in which the building is parted. The public space is divided into smaller sections by sliding doors, allowing the overall disposition to vary. Thanks to that, a person first goes through the most public parts before entering the more private ones. Circular columns are placed in the inner side of the façade, created a modular grid, according to which the entire facility is divided.
The existing ferrymen building needed adaptation for a new use. I am keeping its former look as a link to the typical historical architecture of the island, continuing to welcome visitors. The new use was found in affordable accommodation for tourists, to whom the island opens its breathtaking nature and rich historic heritage. The building offers two people the chance to spend the night.

The proposal aims best to present the cultural and historical heritage of the island. Appropriates parts of the former architecture react to the terrain and at the same time bring a careful approach by using local materials or undemanding structural and layout solutions. The architecture is a gesture that catches the eye and draws each visitor in.

The “Easdale Ferry Terminal” project is a complex consisting of three building units, one of which is a preserved and renovated old structure. As the renovated one keeps its previous function as ferryman’s office, newly designed adjacent one involves passenger waiting room and related spaces for ferryman’s office. The third one which is not connected to othersphysically involves public spaces: A market unit which rents fishing/diving equipment and bikes for tourists, a laundry and a public restroom.

During the design process of the complex, the most important criterias which are taken into consideration are scale, context, construction technique (material selection), and natural climate control.

The scale of the complex, which will primarily serve a population of about 60 people but will also host tourists seasonally, should be modest. An unnecessarily large building group would result in construction and maintenance costs that do not meet the cost-performance ratio due to the small number of users. Moreover, the constraints imposed by access to the island also prevent the use of construction techniques that would be required for buildings which are not on a modest scale. The use of the local construction technique of masonry wall construction aligns with the decision to build a structure on a modest scale. The abundant presence of slatein the area makes it an ideal material for this purpose. Furthermore, for the designer aiming to benefit from the thermal performance provided by the masonry walls, a large-scale structure would not meet the required performance. In this climate, where the sun is visible for short periods, ideal dimensions should be achieved for the spaces to be heated using passive methods, to maximize the benefit of sunlight.

In terms of context, a new building group to be constructed with traditional techniques on a traditional-textured island, -which even consists of an existing building with traditional look- should be designed in such a way that it does not disrupt the existing relationship, while harmonizing with it through a modern touch. (At this point, it should be noted that a large-scale complex would damage this context.) While designing the project, this modern touch has been attempted in several different ways. One of the main design decisions that serves this purpose is the use of traditional geometric forms as references, which are then shifted slightly out of the traditional line in certain proportions. The use of slate tile on roofs, which is also employed on the facades, deviates from the traditional line, introducing a different construction technique and differentiating it from the island context while helping to collect rainwater without using gutters. This approach was also chosen to demonstrate the potential uses of the material. The use of metal in transition profiles where the new roof-facade intersects with the load-bearing walls, window surrounds, chimney and similar elementsbrings the design closer to a modern line, stepping away from traditional material choices. This design approach, which contrasts and merges old materials and techniques with new ones, forms the overall character of the project.

Easdale, an island with a fascinating history located on Scotland’s west coast, is a place that symbolizes resilience and regeneration. Once known as “The Island that Roofed the World” due to its slate industry, its destiny shifted dramatically after a devastating tidal wave in 1881. Today, the abandoned quarries have transformed into serene pools, and the slate-roofed houses stand as a testament to a rich story of coexistence between man and nature.

The initial interaction with the theme of this project was captivating, especially because of the remarkable location. Situated in a secluded area accessible only by water, this site offers a unique experience and an extraordinary opportunity to integrate architecture into a local context rich in history and tradition. The region, renowned for the extraction and use of slate, has built an iconic identity around this material, exported to roof buildings around the world.

The traditional houses here, simple with dual-pitched slate roofs, became a source of inspiration for our concept. Thus, the project is based on two fundamental ideas: the use of local slate as a tribute to tradition, and the creation of architecture that feels familiar and harmoniously integrated into the landscape. We preserved the proportions of the existing building’s façade on-site, reinterpreting and scaling them into a contemporary form—a subtle modernization of what already exists.

The privileged position of the site, on the water’s edge, gave us the opportunity to fully exploit the spectacular views—from the Insh Slate Islands to the open ocean. Thus, the waiting area became the focal point of the project, a panoramic space with a wide 180-degree opening that invites people to admire the breathtaking scenery. We designed this space as a structure connecting the old building to the new intervention, a fluid yet memorable transition element that bridges past and future.

From a material perspective, we continued the use of slate on the roofs of both the new and existing buildings, creating a visual unity that evokes a sense of flow—as if the old roof naturally extends toward the new structures. For the structure of the new building, we opted for local timber, a sustainable and resilient material in harmony with the oceanic landscape. We intended for the timber to age beautifully, much like the natural patina of the stone in the old building, providing a sense of continuity and authenticity.

Ultimately, our project proposes architecture that respects and enriches the local identity, while also offering a unique experience for both residents and visitors. It is an intervention that organically ties into the landscape, integrating tradition, sustainability, and contemporary design into a unified whole.