The Bothy Project is an artist-driven initiative to develop small studio spaces for artist residencies in unique locations across Scotland. Some of the studios will make use of space in existing structures while others will be new builds. The Inshriach Bothy was the first of these live/work studios. It sits surrounded by birch trees and heather in a small hollow in the Cairngorms National Park. It was built in 2011 through the efforts of artist Bobby Niven, architectural designer Iain MacLeod and a team of volunteer builders, supported by grants from the Royal Scottish Academy.
Simon Dale and Jasmine Saville are concerned about the affects of fossil fuel use on the environment. To minimize their own environmental impact, they designed their own low-impact home in Wales. Simon and his father-in-law built it with the help of friends. In Simon’s words:
The house was built with maximum regard for the environment and by reciprocation gives us a unique opportunity to live close to nature. Being your own (have a go) architect is a lot of fun and allows you to create and enjoy something which is part of yourself and the land.
Main tools used: chainsaw, hammer and 1 inch chisel, little else really. Oh and by the way I am not a builder or carpenter, my experience is only having a go at one similar house 2yrs before and a bit of mucking around in between. This kind of building is accessible to anyone. My main relevant skills were being able bodied, having self belief and perseverance and a mate or two to give a lift now and again.
