RGU master’s students develop ideas for affordable housing in Orkney

The master’s students have been tasked with designing new sustainable homes, with energy efficiency at their core, to enhance the lives of islanders living in Orkney and to meet the requirements for housing young families as well as a growing elderly population.

On a visit this month to RGU Orkney, master’s students spoke to residents, urban planners and councillors to find out more about the social, cultural and economic opportunities for islanders.

Over the next year, the master’s students will continue to engage islanders, and will present their projects, in a community exhibition in Stromness next summer.

Their aim is to come up with ideas, including concept ideas using artificial intelligence, to support community sustainability in Orkney, and to address challenges affecting island life including depopulation, climate change and access to services.

David Vila Domini, course leader for the Master of Architecture said: “The Scott Sutherland School of Architecture is committed to positively enhancing the fabric of social life, as demonstrated through this master’s project in Orkney. We want to develop ideas that will help create a new neighbourhood to the East of the harbour in Stromness and will draw inspiration from Orkney’s rich landscape, archaelogy, and the pattern of its historical settlements  between the Atlantic and the North Sea to ensure continuity of place.

“As one of the oldest architectural schools in the UK, we have a strong track record in facilitating the design and build of sustainable, well-considered structures and spaces that enhance people’s everyday lives.

“We want to create ideas that will foster new opportunities and ideas that can add public value to island life and bring societal benefit. We look forward to working with islanders to finding out what’s needed on the islands and to developing ideas to support the social, economic and cultural environment in Orkney.”

Toby Ross from Conon Bridge in Ross-shire is one of the master’s students involved in the project.  

Toby said: "We are incredibly excited to have Stromness as the home of our project for the coming year. Since our visit, we have all fallen in love with the rich character of the town and the welcoming nature of the people that call it home. We hope that our final proposal will be sensitive, appropriate and responsive to the people of Stromness' needs, as well as the beautiful surrounding natural landscape."

Master’s student, Skye Chatburn from Kelso in the Scottish Borders said: “In the time that we visited the Orkney Isles, we were collectively enthralled by what we saw and experienced. From the winding cobbled streets of Stromness, to the waves crashing against the cliffs of Yesnaby. From the calls of gulls perched on stone piers, to the echoing silence of St Magnus Cathedral."

Elsa Cox, RGU Orkney Development Manager said: “We are delighted that Orkney will once again provide a focus for the master’s students from the Scott Sutherland School, engaging with the local community to inform their designs.

“The students will work with experts in planning and construction, community leaders and members of the wider population to maximise project relevance and impact. This project has specific relevance to the challenges faced by young people, an ageing population, and economic development due to the lack of suitable, sustainable and affordable housing in the islands. The Scott Sutherland School’s master’s projects have the potential to influence local policy and practice and we look forward to seeing the projects develop as they prepare for their community exhibition next summer.”

As part of the project, the master’s students will create designs that reflect the heritage of Stromness and the town’s ‘rig pattern’ of housing where long, barn-like buildings, run into individual quays from where the fishing fleet and other vessels traditionally sailed out over vast distances across the North Sea.

The project supportsRGU's Orkney strategy which aims to play a key role in helping the Islands thrive over the next five years by using its academic expertise to support areas of strategic importance for the island.

Image (left to right) shows master’s students, Skye Chatburn, David Mackintyre, Ivana Rennie, Kate Bacarreza, Leez Almeida, Shreya Dusane, Jack Williamson and Toby Ross.