Q BUILD LTD
and more than five metres of sliding doors draw the eye outward, dissolving the boundary between inside and out. The glass disappears; the view takes over. Inside, crisp straight lines, seamless transitions and refined junctions create calm – but they needed to be perfectly precise. Even the slightest deviation would interrupt the overall aesthetic. The exterior balances modernity with a sense of place. Natural Kebony cladding
and Inverness-shire stone anchor the building in its Highland context. The contrast of durable timber with rugged stone produces a look that is intentional and organic, echoing the textures of shore and hillside.
Key learnings ● Communication – monthly formal progress meetings provided an opportunity to track the build and ensure all stakeholders agreed upon evolving complexities of the design. This transparency kept the client’s expectations aligned with on-site realities and strengthened trust throughout the process. ● Collaboration – Q Build invited the architect to discuss big construction decisions about interior details such as ceiling and perimeter junctions. ● Technology – digital tools played a significant role, with a construction management system streamlining coordination with trade partners, and a detailed Gantt chart keeping the programme and procurement running smoothly and on schedule.
Overcoming challenges Every phase of construction brought new complications. The location, beautiful as it is, posed unique logistical challenges, such as: ● the seashore exposed the works to shifting tides, salt air, winds and fluctuating ground conditions. ● the plot’s constraints abounded, with limited storage space and tight access that even limited the machinery’s movement. Q Build developed a detailed procurement schedule that allowed for just-in-time delivery of materials.
The most complex engineering challenge came when any element of the structure needed to be constructed off the shoreline. The team met with the architect – Cameron Webster Architects, with which Q Build Ltd regularly collaborates – structural engineers and the steel fabricator to develop a
solution that accounted for tides, elevations and access. Temporarily raised ground levels had to be created, and diggers and machinery were dismantled and reassembled on site to reach otherwise inaccessible areas. The challenges forced the team to think creatively and act collaboratively.
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Master Builder
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