A sense of delight

The process of stitching together the architectural fabric of a Scottish estate has created an outstanding group of new and restored buildings, as John Goodall explains

Photographs by Paul Highnam

The Aldourie estate, Inverness-shire OVER the past decade, a series of architectural projects has transformed the castle and estate of Aldourie on the southern shore of Loch Ness. The work, which includes several new buildings, has been undertaken in an unusual spirit by Ptolemy Dean Architects. Projects of this kind tend to divide between those that strive either for archaeological accuracy or strident modernity. Either approach can be very successful, but it’s refreshing to find something that borrows from both, combining the sympathetic repair of inherited fabric with free, but informed historical borrowing, re-creation and invention. The result is not a pragmatic third way, but something possessed of a playful integrity of its own. In its present form, Aldourie answers the popular ideal of a Scottish castle with a fantastical outline of…

You're reading a preview of

Country Life (Digital) - 1 Issue, February 19, 2025

DiscountMags is a licensed distributor (not a publisher) of the above content and Publication through Zinio LLC. Accordingly, we have no editorial control over the Publications. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers or other information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including those made in Publications offered on our website, are those of the respective author(s) or publisher(s) and not of DiscountMags. DiscountMags does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness, or usefulness of all or any portion of any publication or any services or offers made by third parties, nor will we be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on information contained in any Publication, or your use of services offered, or your acceptance of any offers made through the Service or the Publications. For content removal requests, please contact Zinio.