Acharacle is a small and remote community on the south-west tip of Loch Shiel, some 40 miles west of Fort William. For many years the village had campaigned for a new primary school and community space to replace the old Victorian buildings, which were becoming difficult and expensive to maintain.
LocationArgyll
ArchitectGaia Architects
ClientHighland Council
Project TypeEducation
Structural EngineerMacGregor Construction, Inverness
Wood SupplierSohm Holzbautechnik GmbH
Product InfoBrettstapel, Prefabricated panels




Acharacle is a small and remote community on the south-west tip of Loch Shiel, some 40 miles west of Fort William.
For many years the village had campaigned for a new primary school and community space to replace the old Victorian buildings, which were becoming difficult and expensive to maintain. In 2004, Highland Council invited tenders to compile a brief for the development of a new primary school. The Highland Structure Plan 2001 and a document “Designing for Sustainability in the Highlands”, in draft at the time, set requirements including – supporting viable communities; contributing to a prosperous and vibrant local economy; safeguarding and enhancing the natural and built environment.
Within this context, Gaia Architects were appointed to compile a brief for the school. They then continued as project architects. Gaia were keen to develop a scheme which had minimal environmental impact, while satisfying the needs of the users. They guided the client and the community in many of the design choices to be made.