DENHAM YOUD

Innovative Design for Ayrshire, Arran and Beyond

It’s not every day you employ the services of an architect. In fact, for many of us, it’s a once in a lifetime occurrence. So when the need arises, it’s important to find a professional who will not only deliver on your project, but will also work with you to meet your needs and exceed your expectations.

“The idea of relationships with clients and the spirit of togetherness is important to us,” says Steven Denham, Founder and Managing Director of Denham Youd Ltd. “We work at our best when we’re working with a client and we’re all on the same team.”

Steven set up Denham Youd Ltd in 2011. Having left employment in 2007 he began as a sole trader working from home. He now heads a team of 12, describing each of them as genuine, down to earth, hard working people.

“We always try and match the strengths of the architect to the project. When a project comes in, we’ll look who’s the best fit for it. That’s not just capability, it could be personality as well.”

Boasting a blend of experience and youth, the team works on domestic, commercial and industrial projects and is keen to develop and improve communities in and around Ayrshire.

Steven himself is Ayrshire born and bred, and Architect Colin Reynolds, who joined the team four years ago, grew up in Prestwick.

“I like to work in my own back yard,” Colin says, “and on sites that are close to my heart. Steven and Chris Youd, our other partner, share the same ambitions.”

Both Steven and Colin are Ayr United fans so being asked to create a premium hospitality offering at Somerset Park was, Steven says, quite an honour. But they were just as delighted to win the contract to design the new distillery at Lagg on the Isle of Arran.

“It was our introduction to Arran,” Steven explains. “It was a competitive project. We had to beat off other architectural practices to get the job and we managed to do that. It’s a big part of who we try to be. If we get an opportunity, we try and deliver and deliver well.”

The Lagg project gained Denham Youd a reputation to be proud of and that, in turn, led to other projects on the island. Arran Development Trust, for example, seeks to provide affordable housing for key workers on Arran. Steven elaborates:

“We do affordable housing on the mainland but this had to be tailored to the needs of the island. It had to look more rural and involve materials you would expect to see on an island that’s contemporary and Scottish.”

Another project on Arran, Largymenoch, involves a domestic dwelling based on a planning policy requiring a house of outstanding architectural merit to be designed on the site.

“In the same way that Lagg is a flagship project for the practice in the distillery sector and on the island,” says Colin, “Largymenoch is the flagship in the private residential sector.”

Lagg is not the only distillery Denham Youd have had the pleasure of designing. The practice also worked on an extension for Lochranza Distillery, providing accommodation for two timber washbacks (fermenters). It was, Steven says, the perfect example of that spirit of togetherness.

That same spirit was present in the Lagg project, with the clients expressing a wish for something completely different and not just a carbon copy of other distilleries.

“When we look at Arran,” Steven explains, “we see the outline of the mountains. In some ways, the shape of the building echoes that. It’s got a grass roof so it looks as though it’s rising out of the landscape. A lot of thought went into it.”

Indeed, Denham Youd prides itself on being able to use design to add value to a business, as Steven explains:

“We always try to find value for the client, and by value we mean a design that’s going to generate revenue, or if it’s a house, then it’s a really nice place to be.”

In addition to value, the practice also believes in progression, innovation, collaboration and sustainability.

“We are investing in sustainability and now have our first Passivehaus accredited designer in
house,” Steven confirms. “For us, sustainability also means helping to improve sustainable
communities, particularly on islands like Arran. So for us, sustainability can mean a number
of things, it doesn’t just mean how we heat a house, it’s also about repurposing buildings
and reimagining spaces.”

Sustainability also extends to the human resources at Denham Youd. Steven believes in bringing people through to develop their careers and give them the chance to get involved in really good projects. To that end, the entire team has recently visited Arran to see the sites of both completed and ongoing projects, thus improving relationships as well as knowledge.

It’s not every day you employ the services of an architect, so when you do, you know where to go.