Raining's Stairs

The Raining’s Stairs Development - built with support from the Highland Council, Scottish Government and Highland Housing Alliance - set out to create 16 new one and two bedroom flats - as well as a small retail unit - on an extremely challenging and long-vacant sloping site opposite Inverness Castle.

Seen as a cornerstone of the regeneration of this prominent site, we worked with Traill Architects and trusted suppliers to create a striking, high quality building, taking design cues from existing buildings within the conservation area.

Low level steel platforms, factory-assembled pre-insulated timber kit panels, floor cassettes and roof trusses; lightweight  timber and aluminium cladding.

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A fabric first approach maximised the building's air tightness, eliminated thermal bridging and optimised insulation, solar gain and natural ventilation  - a technique that can deliver an overall energy reduction of up to 33%. Windows and doors were factory-installed, reducing construction time and improving the building envelope, especially in relation to thermal performance.

This multi-award winning residential development was commended by judges in the Scottish Civic Trust’s My Place Awards who declared the development "a building of significant architectural quality…a key element within the overall city centre regeneration and transformation." The Scottish Government-supported awards celebrate individuals and projects that have had a positive impact on their local neighbourhood and community.

As well as providing vital affordable housing for the Highland capital - with six flats available at affordable rent and 10 being leased at mid-market rent - this development was recognised as Best Residential Project at the prestigious 2018 Inside Housing Development Awards, hailed for transforming a city centre site that had become rife with anti-social behaviour causing detrimental impacts to adjacent businesses and the broader community.

Improved lighting and passive surveillance from the building to the historic Raining’s Stairs adjacent have created a safer environment and a listed building on site which was derelict after a fire has been restored and refurbished to a very high standard.