Such is the popularity of the beach’s white sands, turquoise sea and backdrop of Assynt’s jaggedy, dragon-backed peaks, considerable visitor pressures have led the local Assynt Development Trust to take the lead and collaborate with Highland Council to improve and extend the car park and provide a beach hub, with toilets, showers, charging points and a ranger’s hut. 

FLA has designed a pair of timber pavilions, on a terrace overlooking beach, machair and car park, which will be constructed in brut dowel-laminated-timber, with screened loggias and overhanging turfed roofs.

Announcing the win the practice wrote: “DLT is the simplest mass-timber technology with baulks of timber secured by a hardwood dowel which, taking on moisture, expands and locks panels of timber that can be low-grade, fast growing – perfect for locally-grown Scottish timber. FLA is therefore working with local sawmills and contractors to make the project a healthy material, carbon lock and circular economy exemplar.

“With business plan by Community Enterprises, the project is now in for planning and off for funding.”