An Lanntair Building, Stornoway Project, Outer Hebrides, Address, Scottish Design

An Lanntair, Isle of Lewis : Stornoway Venue

Stornoway Building, Western Isles, Scotland – design by Nicoll Russell Studio

14 Oct 2016

“Building Our Islands” – Outer Hebrides’ Favourite Buildings to Mark Festival of Architecture 2016

Friday 14th October 2016 – An Lanntair and The Western Isles Architects Group have been celebrating architecture in all its forms in the Outer Hebrides. From modern architecture to 17th Century ruins, the project asked people to take a look at the architecture that surrounds them. Photographer (and former Buzzcocks drummer) John Maher has been documenting the shortlisted buildings and other architectural gems for the project. Over 500 people voted for their favourite building in the islands.

Scottish Architecture News

17 Feb 2010

An Lanntair Stornoway

Western Isles – Key Town: New Architecture

Completed early 2006

Design: Ric Russell – Nicoll Russell Studio, Dundee

An Lanntair Arts Centre in Stornoway is architecturally, figuratively and linguistically a beacon (being the Gaelic for lantern). Architecturally the centre provides a bright, flexible and modern venue for the arts in a remote area of Scotland. It is a beacon of encouragement not only for those involved in the arts on the Western Isles, but also other remote areas of the country. It is a lasting legacy of what can be achieved, sometimes against the odds, and is an example of how the Scottish Arts Council’s Lottery Fund has touched the whole of Scotland.

photos from Nicoll Russell Studios

It is both contextual in terms of scale and materiality, growing from the shore front into the town where it opens up its public activities to a new square formed to the side of the high street. The centre provides a platform for a restaurant at first floor level overlooking the harbour and offers a landmark in the form of an illuminated lantern, created by a corner meeting room. The lantern faces the shore and the many visitors who arrive by ferry at the terminal opposite. That is a literal beacon whose theme is repeated throughout the client’s brand identity. an Lanntair, because of its location is the most flexible of all of our arts buildings in order that a range of exhibitions, events, cinema and performances can be hosted in the one building, making it both vibrant and sustainable. The most surprising feature of this approach is the walls of the auditorium which can be flown into the ‘gods’, to dissolve the boundary between restaurant, bar, foyer and audience. This feature is particularly important during cabarets and ceilidhs, but it has also been used to great dramatic effect during performances.

Stornoway is often described as the capital of Lewis, the largest Outer Hebrides island on the west coast of Scotland.

Address: An Lanntair Art Centre, Kenneth St, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Outer
Hebrides

An Lanntair images received via RSA in 2005