Scotlarch®
Our Scottish Larch (Scotlarch®) is sourced locally and a cost-effective cladding solution.
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Eight miles from the shores of Loch Ness – and less than 30 miles as the crow flies from the Russwood headquarters – is Dundreggan. This 10,000-acre estate was purchased by Trees for Life in 2008, and ever since, they’ve been steadily rewilding the land: restoring the native Caledonian forest and reversing centuries of unwitting damage from sheep, goats, cattle and deer.
In 2023, a new visitor centre and accommodation building enhanced the project. Now, these buildings act as the gateway to Dundreggan, helping visitors explore the region’s rich Gaelic culture and delve into the details of rewilding.
Selecting construction materials for the world’s first rewilding centre comes with a certain pressure. But this was a challenge that Trees for Life’s appointed architect, Threesixty Architecture, embraced, choosing Russwood products for their aesthetic and technical qualities – as well as for the way the location and ethos of our business fitted with the client’s vision. Using timber for large-scale commercial buildings is growing in popularity, and Dundreggan is the perfect example of its effectiveness.
A building intertwined with nature and history
Dundreggan Visitor Centre, accessible to all, is abundant in natural light and ventilation. For Neal Hemingway, Architect and Associate Director at Threesixty, “The Rewilding Centre acts as a true gateway to the wilderness, strengthening the long lasting bond between humans and nature in the highlands.”
Close connections were core to the project. We worked closely with Threesixty from the off – something we often do with our architect clients to ensure the selected materials fulfil both their technical requirements and aesthetic ambitions. In this case, our architect liaison team helped with early detailing development, the testing of fire retardants against building control standards, workshops to minimise on-site wastage and specification writing. We also worked closely with the contractor to deliver the cladding and flooring to Dundreggan at useful intervals.
Modern larch cladding that evokes historic Highland architecture
The region’s historic Celtic and Gaelic architecture has influenced Dundreggan’s site layout, with the buildings conjuring images of an old hillside settlement. Throughout the 19th century, wood and metal were a popular combination across Glenmoriston and the wider Highlands. Fast forward to today, and Neal and his colleagues chose to clad the visitor centre in 530 sqm of Russwood Scotlarch® cladding (in RW014 profile) to complement the red standing seam roof.
Another vote for Scotlarch cladding came in the form of the subtle detailing that can be paired with this robust cladding choice. Threesixty opted for our L-Go Fix® A2 Screws for a neat finish. Their aim? “To fully embed the building in its surroundings,” says Neal. “Russwood’s expertise helped develop a final cladding solution that maintained compliance whilst elegantly harmonising the building with the surrounding forest context.”
Rooted in sustainability
A major part of the Dundreggan brief was to prioritise local and low embodied carbon materials, to ensure a responsible and sustainable building. Scotlarch ticks all the boxes in this respect, as we take all the timber from Forest Stewardship Council® certified forests in the Scottish Highlands within a 100-mile radius of the Russwood sawmill.
A long-term cladding choice
Trees for Life sought to minimise ongoing building maintenance – particularly given the building’s exposure to the ever-changing Highland weather. Since our grading process ensures there is no sapwood (the non-durable part of timber) on exposed board faces, Scotlarch is built to last – even in the most extreme conditions.
To further ensure longevity, the cladding was fitted in conjunction with our KompeFix® ventilation strips. These offset the cladding from the substructure, creating a ventilated gap between the timber elements. This prevents moisture trapping and allows for timber movement in response to changing humidity levels.
Wood flooring lends harmony to the interior
Inside Dundreggan Visitor Centre, Russwood’s presence continues, with 320 sqm of our European Oak flooring in Antique. Neal confirms that fitting wood flooring was a deliberate choice. Threesixty wished to create a feeling of connection to the forest and a calming, natural visual effect for those inside the building, while also complementing the exposed Glulam timber frame. “The floor’s warm tones enrich the space, creating a harmony between inside and out,” explains Neal. On top of that, choosing Russwood as a local supplier helped to reduce the embodied carbon footprint.
A successful outcome for all
Both Threesixty Architecture and Trees for Life are very satisfied with the outcome at Dundreggan, mentioning that the performance and visual appearance of both the cladding and flooring are exactly what they had hoped for. Now the Rewilding Centre has become a hive of activity,
Neal confirms this, saying, “Working with Russwood has been a rewarding and valuable experience. There has been expertise gained from this project that we will translate into future projects, especially when using external timber cladding in larger-scale public buildings.”
Specifier Tip: In ideal conditions, Scotlarch® will naturally weather to a muted shade of silver/grey.
Technical assistance was provided throughout the project from early detailing development to assistance with specification writing. This ensured that the cladding and detailing met technical requirements but fulfilled the aesthetic ambitions of the project also.
Neal Hemingway, Threesixty Architecture