A timber-framed, stone-clad self-build in the Outer Hebrides has been crowned House of the Year 2025 by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
Caochan na Creige – meaning “little quiet one by the rock” – was designed and built by architects Izat Arundell.
The project was praised for its sensitivity to place, exceptional craftsmanship and its ability to balance local tradition with contemporary design.
The win was announced during the final episode of Channel 4’s four-part Grand Designs House of the Year series on Wednesday 10 December.
SPATIAL EXPERIENCE
Clad in Lewisian Gneiss – the same ancient rock that defines the island’s landscape – the house appears to rise naturally from its rugged surroundings.
Despite the unforgiving climate and the constraints of a small, challenging plot, the architects opted for a restrained, resilient design that wraps around a vast natural rock providing shelter.
A generous Scottish cedar-clad porch sets the tone for the interior, where the same material continues across the walls to create a warm, cocooning contrast to the wild environment outside.
Open-plan living areas connect to quieter ancillary spaces, while floor-to-ceiling windows frame sunlight, shifting weather and far-reaching rural views.
Careful sequencing of rooms creates a layered spatial experience, gradually revealing new viewpoints as the house unfolds. Built by and for its architect owners, Caochan na Creige presents a grounded, environmentally responsive model for rural architecture, engineered from local materials to withstand the unpredictable Hebridean climate.
SENSITIVITY AND BOLDNESS
David Kohn, Chair of the 2025 RIBA House of the Year Jury, says: “The choice of the winner, Caochan na Creige, was unanimous.
“It addressed every issue – challenging climatic conditions, the relationship to vernacular architecture and a tight budget – with a rare mixture of sensitivity and boldness.
“Modest in size, but luxurious in its connection to the surroundings landscape, it is self-built from hyper-local stone in a way that is suited to its material qualities.
“Its enigmatic form, recalling large castles and defensive structures, belies its intimate scale.
EXEMPLARILY HOME
All these things make it an exemplarily home which will have much to contribute to future debates around domestic architecture in rural contexts.”
The final episode of Grand Designs House of the Year also confirmed the sixth and seventh shortlisted homes: Housestead, designed by Sanei Hopkins Architects, and London Brut, designed by Pricegore Architects.
Full shortlist for RIBA House of the Year 2025
Caochan na Creige – Izat Arundell
Hastings House – Hugh Strange Architects
Triangle House – Artefact
Amento – James Gorst Architects
Jankes Barn – Lynch Architects
Housestead – Sanei Hopkins Architects
London Brut – Pricegore Architects
2025 Jury: David Kohn (Chair), Gill Lambert, Amalia Skoufoglou, Livia Wang.
