The Bothy And Tùr At Cuningar Loop / Jmarchitects

Architects: jmarchitects
Area: 288 m²
Year: 2022
Photography: Keith Hunter Photography
Manufacturers: Schuco, Shou-Sugi-Ban
Landscape: Sweco
Construction Consultancy: Gardiner & Theobald
Structural Engineer: Narro
Project Manager: McLeod + Aitken
Main Contractor: Linear Design + Construct
Program/Use/Building Function: Community
Client: Clyde Gateway
Timber Construction Consultants: Intelligent Wood Systems
MEP: Atelier Ten
City: Rutherglen
Country: United Kingdom

Cuningar Loop Forestry Park in Rutherglen stands as a significant green infrastructure, encompassing around 37 acres of revitalized urban woodland tailored for community engagement and local activities. Spearheaded by jmarchitects, the 2022 project introduces The Bothy and Tùr, two structures designed to enhance visitor interaction and extend the use of the park. The design incorporates traditional Scottish architectural elements with a modern twist, utilizing materials like charred timber and a sedum roof to merge seamlessly with the natural surroundings. This development not only aims to foster a robust community spirit but also addresses sustainability through innovative energy solutions, including rainwater harvesting and photovoltaic panels.

The Bothy and Tùr at Cuningar Loop / Jmarchitects The Tur, Cuningar Loop, Glasgow, Scotlans, UK.

The Cuningar Loop Forestry Park is a pioneering green space at the heart of the Clyde Gateway, providing approximately 37 acres of distinctive urban woodland with riverfrontage and activity spaces, marking it as the largest urban park in South Lanarkshire. The client aimed to elevate and expand the visitor experience through The Bothy & Tùr, promoting prolonged engagement and utilization of the park.

The Bothy serves as a permanent base for various groups and activities within the park, aimed at enhancing user diversity, engaging with local communities, and fostering a strong community spirit. Its central feature, The Living Room, offers a robust area connected to the park and woodland, suitable for talks, nature and arts events, play, and community gatherings. The Tùr, or tower, provides an accessible viewpoint, enabling visitors to enjoy expansive views over the woodland and city.

The Bothy and Tùr at Cuningar Loop / Jmarchitects

The design of The Bothy drew inspiration from the traditional Scottish Bothy, with a compact, linear floor plan based on the ‘but and ben’ arrangement, featuring two multifunctional community rooms flanking a central entrance. The designers sought to integrate the building into the existing landscape with minimal alteration. Traditional bothies, typically isolated in the landscape with minimal markings apart from a smoking chimney, influenced this approach. The structure and adjacent walkways, designed to rise above the tree line, serve as beacons to attract visitors.

The project prioritized environmental sensitivity. The use of robust, locally sourced materials like charred timber cladding and sedum roofs helped integrate the buildings into their surroundings, crafting an architecture that harmonizes with its context and purpose.

Internally, the aesthetic is minimalistic, clean, and uncluttered, employing a simple palette of robust materials. Spaces feature neutral colors and natural wood textures, including plywood and exposed timber structural elements and CLT. The Bothy’s relationship with the park, river, and city beyond is a central aspect, with large windows framing views of the surroundings and ‘barn’ doors integrating the indoor spaces with the landscape, enabling activities to extend outdoors, thus creating a dynamic, all-season community environment.

Key sustainability features include energy efficiency, renewable energy use, and water management. The design aims to maintain the off-grid tradition of bothies, with modern adaptations to meet contemporary service requirements. Features like air-to-air heat pump systems, rainwater harvesting, and photovoltaic panels are incorporated to minimize environmental impact and promote self-sufficiency.

The Tùr, positioned at one of the park’s highest points, serves as a landmark, drawing visitors into the park and encouraging exploration. Its location above the treeline provides broad city views. The existing trees and terrain shaped the design of the walkway and Tùr, offering a memorable journey through the woodland, accessible to all. The design process involved careful planning around existing trees, with guidance from an arborist to optimize the route and minimize ecological disturbance. This setup allows the previously inaccessible parts of the park to be explored and enjoyed by the public.