Redland Mini Stonewold is the perfect solution for high winds in Orkney

Hamnavoe House, commissioned by Orkney Islands Council (OIC) in order to meet the current and future needs of its elderly residents, was designed by Glasgow architects Young & Gault and built by Orkney Builders. The building represents one of the largest single timber kit buildings ever produced by timber frame provider Scotframe.

Designed as a single-storey property, to reduce its profile against high winds, the combination of flat and pitched roofs was designed to minimise gable heights and match local vernacular styles as well as the ability to withstand extreme weather conditions. 

The Redland Mini Stonewold Slate in grey was chosen by OIC for several reasons, explains OIC Senior Project Officer John Wallace. “The tile is very popular here and is popular with our planners. From the planners’ point of view, it has a flat slate appearance like many of our traditionally built roofs. It’s also very strong, especially when fully fixed, which makes it the perfect choice given the environmental conditions here”.

This view is reinforced by Stephen Kemp, Managing Director of Orkney Builders. “These islands must be one of the largest purchasers of this particular tile,” he says. “It’s specified because it doesn’t fail. We recently handed over a new-build house where gusts of 135mph were recorded, yet we didn’t lose a single tile.” 

“This is the biggest roof that we have installed in recent years, but it is a product that we know very well,” says Stephen. “We double nail and clip each tile as a matter of course up here, and always to the maximum headlap.”

Hamnavoe House not only provides more accommodation than the 30-bed unit it replaces but will also have an impact upon care, according to Caroline Sinclair, Chief Officer for Orkney Health and Care. “It will provide a much-needed modern, fit for the future, care facility for people who need residential care,” she told local paper The Orcadian.