Stone-clad home in rugged Scottish landscape named RIBA House of the Year 2025

On a remote stretch of Scotland’s Outer Hebrides islands, a modest house has just been named the UK's best new home and the RIBA House of the Year winner. 

Designed and hand-built by Eilidh Izat and Jack Arundell, the architect-founders of young, local firm Izat Arundell, Caochan na Creige ("little quiet one by the rock") is a timber-framed dwelling that was praised by the jurors for its restraint, sensitivity to place, and craftsmanship, with Lewisian Gneiss cladding that anchors the house firmly in its rugged island landscape.

"The choice of the winner, Caochan na Creige, was unanimous," 2025 jury chair David Kohn noted in the announcement of the winner. "It addressed every issue — challenging climatic conditions, the relationship to vernacular architecture, and a tight budget — with a rare mixture of sensitivity and boldness."

Read on for more about Caochan na Creige.

"The building blends effortlessly into the rugged Hebridean landscape, with a material palette that honours the ancient Lewisian gneiss rock surrounding it. Initially conceived as a concrete structure, budget constraints led to a creative redesign: the final timber-framed house is clad in full-thickness local stone, giving the home the appearance of a modern-day blackhouse, nestled in the terrain. An exposed concrete ring beam, washed to reveal the stone aggregate, echoes the original concept and adds a contemporary contrast to the handcrafted exterior."

"Inside, the house is compact but feels generous. Its 85m2 plan is shaped around the natural contours of the land, with a 135-degree geometry guiding the layout. The interior materiality is restrained but richly textured: warm-toned lime plaster walls, polished concrete floors embedded with local aggregate, Scottish larch ceilings and finely crafted beech joinery. Artworks collected by the couple over the years are positioned in carefully planned locations, designed into the architecture itself."

"Every room has a distinct character and a strong relationship to the wider context – whether through the living room’s expansive glazing to the glen and sea, the bedroom’s seasonal light alignment, or the angled kitchen that maintains privacy while encouraging neighbourhood connection."

"The construction process itself fostered strong community ties, with local stonemasons and craftspeople contributing to its realisation. Executed on a very modest budget, this quietly poetic building is a testament to what can be achieved through patience, skill and profound respect for place. It is a richly personal and beautifully crafted work that shows the strength of emerging architectural voices."

Caochan na Creige emerged victoriously from a seven-piece shortlist, which also included residential designs by Hugh Strange Architects, Artefact, James Gorst Architects, Lynch Architects, Sanei Hopkins Architects, and Pricegore Architects.