Coroghon Barn
We are delighted to be working with the Isle of Canna Community Development Trust on designs for redevelopment of the iconic Coroghan Barn into a multi-use community building, alongside a new bunkhouse catering for the many visitors who are drawn to Canna’s spectacular landscape, ecology, history and culture.
Coroghan Barn is a prominent and special building which holds an important place in the history and identity of Canna. The Isle of Canna Community Development Trust (IoCCDT) is working alongside the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) to develop a vision for the building’s future which simultaneously helps to deliver a vision for community space for both residents and visitors to the island and rescue the building from further deterioration.
The Island of Canna was gifted to the National Trust for Scotland in 1981 by Dr John Lorne Campbell. The entirety of both Canna and Sanday and the sea surrounding all of the Small Isles is designated a National Scenic Area. The Isles of Canna and Sanday are a Site of Special Scientific Interest, Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protection Area & Marine Protected Area.
Coroghan Barn is a B-listed building which sits within Coroghan Bay close to Canna Harbour. The barn is nestled above the beach between Coroghan Castle which sits on a volcanic spur above the sea, green farmland and the dramatic stacks formed by the Palaeogene period volcanic activity. Coroghan Barn is currently one of the abandoned historic structures that sits in the spectacular, lush landscape.
The design proposals we have been working on are the result of intensive consultation with the local community. In this design development process we have been fortunate to be working alongside an excellent team including conservation architecture input from Studio SJM, structural engineering from Narro Associates, M&E engineering from Harley Haddow and cost guidance from Morham & Brotchie, Oban.
The brief for the Barn and Bunkhouse was to create a sense of welcome, inclusivity and represent the forward-looking, community-focused nature of life on Canna. Coroghan Barn was to represent what it means to be a present-day Hebridean island, enhance the viability of Canna’s community and be emblematic of a new era and new generation of islanders. It was important that the project honour the many layers of past history whilst remaining progressive in values. These ambitions for the identity of Coroghan Barn and what development of this special site represents were to be reflected in the spaces, forms and materials of the designs proposed.
The Barn itself was to create space for a main gathering hall, two meeting rooms, a library space that would function as an informal ‘island living room’ as well as space for a kitchen, toilets, a multi-purpose link space and cloakroom. Within the Bunkhouse space was to be provided for 20 beds, arranged in a variety of room sizes and configurations (all largely ensuite) as well as a communal kitchen, dining and living space, a drying room, boot room and plant space.
Proposals for new development into the Barn setting have been carefully considered in terms of effect on the iconic views of the site from the water on approach to the pier, from the track approach from the village and from Compass Hill. New structures are set back from the Barn structure; giving it space and respecting its importance as a standalone structure. A new extension to the Barn is set to the rear and north of the building, with the Bunkhouse positioned alongside the line of the existing field wall to the north.
An external route between the Barn extension and Bunkhouse through a covered pend leading to the promontory helps retain this area as a publicly accessible viewpoint and an important external space to be shared by both buildings. A shared arrival point for both Barn and Bunkhouse sits within the pend, with approach paths to the arrival point following the line of existing field walls.
The north Link extension to the Barn addresses both the arrival area to the west and the promontory area to the east, creating opportunities for good use of outside space at varying times of day and building strong connections between inside and outside. The sheltered terraces to the east are set out on two levels to provide a subtle sense of separation between the Barn Terrace and Bunkhouse Terrace whilst still allowing them to be used as one external landscape when required.
The solidity of the stone Barn and its iconic pitched roof form were important to retain, with respect given to the treatment of the pattern of existing openings which give the building so much of its character. From the beach and water, the south elevation remains largely unchanged, with interventions only where new lintels are required or door heights raised to allow access out and down to the beach. Only one new opening to the stone walls is proposed at the east gable, allowing the solid, grounded nature of the walls to be retained.
In order to provide sufficient internal space for two storeys, a new raised pitched roof is proposed. By raising the roof level in this way and elevating the principal floor level above the historic floor level, more of the functions outlined in the brief can be accommodated within the original building footprint, thus reducing the need for more significant extension. Proposals for the raised roof level keep the gap between proposed eaves levels and the existing wall head to a minimum; balancing the need for height and natural light with maintaining the coherence of the overall form and sense of connection between roof and walls. Windows under the new eaves level bring natural light including passive solar gain from south-facing openings into the Barn, with views out over the wall head from the upper level spaces.
The external entrance to the Bothy is retained and reconfigured to allow for a raised floor level in the Library, providing more height for the spaces below. The original steps and landing stone are to be reused, with additional steps to match existing stonework and a new timber balustrade.
The extension to the north of the Barn visually links the existing building with the new Bunkhouse. The covered arrival point is shared by both buildings, creating a common sense of identity whilst allowing for operation both in tandem and separately. The form and massing of the link sits in contrast with the solid form of the Barn. A lower, flat roof spans between Barn and Bunkhouse, creating a sense of hierarchy between new and old, with the link subservient to the historic structure. The walls and roof of this element are proposed as lighter-weight structures in contrast to the thick masonry and heavy, grounded character of the Barn.
Creating a community space which felt welcoming and easy to navigate was highlighted as an important part of the brief. A highly glazed form is proposed to create an open, permeable arrival, affording views through the Barn to the main Hall space and out towards Rum beyond.
The Bunkhouse uses simple forms to create efficient, compact yet high quality and comfortable spaces. The overall form of the building is split into two main sloping forms that follow the line of the landscape and field walls. On plan and as seen from Compass Hill, the two wedge forms splay out towards the water, following the splayed pattern of walls as they fan out around the Barn. By following these lines and keeping the building narrow at the western end, the visual impact of the building on approach is minimised and the Barn given precedence. The bunkhouse is expressed as a continuation of the agricultural walls and landscape, visually tied into the ground through use of stone walling at the south entrance, the west end of the building and around its base. Level changes in the new stone walls to the south elevation provide natural places to sit outside. Towards the eastern side of the building, the two wedge forms widen to open up to views out to Rum and to Compass Hill.
The slope of the two mono-pitch roofs has been carefully designed for minimal visual impact on the key views of Coroghan Barn whilst still accommodating the ceiling heights required for bunk room accommodation towards the eastern end of the bedroom block and the communal living, dining kitchen space at the east end of the building. The junctions between walls and roof and treatment of window and door openings are detailed to create simple, quiet and unfussy forms which will be both durable and subtle interventions in the landscape.
Stone walling is proposed at the west end and entrance area of the Bunkhouse, tying the building in to the line of existing field walls along its south facade and into the ground through use of a stone base wall around the other elevations. New stonework for the Bunkhouse would following the tones and construction of the basalt field walls, making them distinct from the stonework of Coroghan Barn itself.
Wildflower roofs are proposed for the Bunkhouse, providing a durable, low maintenance solution for the exposed site. Use of green roofs populated by native plant and flower species will help tie the building in with the surrounding landscape, especially when viewed from Coroghan Castle and Compass Hill and will help support local pollinator species. The green roofs will also provide surface water attenuation. The more slimline roof over the extension is proposed as a bituminous roof with pebble cover.
Team
Client: Isle of Canna Community Development Trust
Conservation Architect: Studio SJM
Quantity Surveyor : Morham & Brotchie, Oban
Structural Engineer: Narro Associates
M&E Engineer: Harley Haddow