After a year of hard work and dedication from so many, in particular the teams at Collective Architecture, Coldwell’s Build and SSW, our Bothy and groundwork renovations are close to completion.
The Bothy works will finalise Phase 1 of our capital programme which has seen the transformation of our staff offices, artists accommodation, ceramics workshop and the development of our community making space. This recent work will importantly provide accessible accommodation, kitchen facilities and external areas for artists and community members at SSW and will transform the energy efficiency of the building.
Works undertaken to transform our beloved Bothy include:
- Extending and renovating our old store area or ‘boffice’ to create an onsite accessible bedroom and bathroom with alarm, grab rails, toilet and shower
- A new accessible kitchen including an adjustable height work surface
- Replacement and widening of doorsways
- Levelling thresholds throughout the Bothy and the wider outdoor areas
- New external landscaping, tactile paving, ramping, lighting and handrails
- Extension of our biomass boiler to the Bothy – replacing inefficient plug in electric radiators.
- Increased insulation throughout the building and replacement of single glazing to triple glazed windows and doors
- Marmoleum flooring throughout which is C02 neutral
- Use of local, sustainable larch from the Cairngorms to clad the extension of the building and our outdoor seating area
- New low energy lighting installed
- Planters to support the development of our new Materials Garden
There are still a few things to do including fitting out the new rooms, getting the sauna ready and planning our materials garden with our local community over the next few weeks. Once completed we will share final images and updated access information over on the access page of our website.
Until then take a look at some of the process over the past year.
We would like to thank all our funders and supporters who have made this work possible including: the UK Government, Aberdeenshire Council, the Rural Communities Challenge Fund, Creative Scotland and the Hugh Fraser Foundation.












Image credits: Images 1 and 2 – Felicity Crawshaw, images 3 and 4 – SSW, images 5 – 12 – Collective Architecture.

