TEA HOUSE IN THE HIGHLANDS

Ritual Design / Material Exploration / Architecture

Location: Isle of Skye, United Kingdom
Status: Concept • 2016
Duration: 1 week

Inspired by the tradition of Japanese tea drinking, this humble retreat embodies the ritual of the tea ceremony in form, material and experience.

Overlooking a small stream and shrouded by early morning haze, the elements of the Isle of Skye provide a dramatic backdrop as pictured. The project explores the limits and intricacies of timber construction, with a strong emphasis on form and material life cycle.

Through the reception, the transition/circulation space and culminating at the table at which tea is enjoyed, one’s path represents the stripping away of the world around them to achieve a singular focus on a moment out of time: a moment of inner reflection and intimate social connection. This is also reflected in the gradual change of rhythm and organicity of the building’s skin as the user journeys through the spaces.