Bleak geeks rejoice. A storm-defiant and modest stone dwelling built by hand on the Isle of Harris (and on a tight budget) has trumped super-sized, lavish projects to win the Grand Designs House of the Year 2025.
Caochan na Creige was painstakingly crafted through sleet and storm by the owners Eilidh Izat, an architect, and her partner Jack Arundell, who is (conveniently) a builder. They camped out on the island with her brother and stone mason. This small, crack team heaved rocks across the rugged landscape to assemble the one-bedroom home over a period of 18 months and through nine named storms. The total cost of the project was £167,000.
