Year of Innovation, Architecture & Design

Argyll and the Islands is a region bursting with examples of Scotland’s leading influence on creative and practical industries worldwide, and its contribution to established principles of technology and aesthetics. The region’s prehistoric rock art – the cup and ring marks of Achnabreck and Kilmichael – offer glimpses of how the area’s earliest settlers were motivated to decorate their environment. Whatever their purpose, the carvings connected people and landscape and still do today. There are too many castles to list, but exceptional examples that welcome visitors include Castle Sween, Dunollie, Inveraray, Dunstaffnage, Rothesay, Castle Lachlan, Duart, Tarbert, and Torrisdale. Some are in ruins, some are being restored, some are private family homes; but each represents architectural and engineering intent and the landscape would be poorer without them. Visitors are always drawn to the Crinan Canal, a working shortcut for boat traffic and access point for walks and picnic sites in Knapdale and Kilmichael Forests, cycle routes, the Argyll Kayak Trail; and welcoming communities. John Rennie and Thomas Telford guaranteed the waterway was an outstanding engineering achievement when it opened in the early 19th century, and later innovations by L John Groves impress people to this day. The A83 from Tarbet on Loch Lomond was originally a military engineering project, designed and built by and to advance troop movements to and from the garrison at Inveraray. Nowadays it is a spectacular drive, rewarded by a visit to Inveraray Castle, seat of Clan Campbell, and Inveraray Jail, by J G Graham, adapted from Robert Reid’s original plans. The famous Stevenson family left their mark here too. The Lismore, Toward and the Rhinns of Islay Lighthouses were built by Robert Stevenson, and Skerryvore was built by his son Alan. The Skerryvore Lighthouse Museum at Hynish on the Isle of Tiree explains the challenges of this project in great detail. Mount Stuart on the Isle of Bute was designed by Robert Rowand Anderson in 1879 with much input from the 3rd Marquess of Bute. Construction took 32 years and the result is a truly awe-inspiring Gothic Revival building on the grandest of scales. Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed Helensburgh’s Hill House for Glasgow publisher Walter Blackie in the early 20th century, and the house presents a rare opportunity to see architectural and interior design details untouched since then. Neighbouring Cardross is home to St Peter’s Seminary, a modernist edifice by Gillespie, Kidd & Coia, saved by arts organisation NVA to be developed as a cultural centre. Argyll and the Isles are rich with diverse cultural artefacts which add to the appeal of the destination.