A recent Scottish architectural project highlights why Decospan Querkus has become one of the UK’s most coveted premium veneers. Available through James Latham, Querkus is a top choice for specifiers seeking the aesthetic of solid timber, but with a reduced carbon footprint, enhanced strength, and superior durability. Decospan’s Querkus oak-veneered panel balances style, substance and sustainability. Nowhere is this better demonstrated than at Taigh na Coille – meaning ‘House of the Wood’ – a strikingly modern holiday home in the Northernmost wilds of Sutherland, Scotland, where Querkus was used across almost the entire interior.
Thomas Fitzgerald from WT Architecture (WTA), which designed Taigh na Coille, explained: “The requirements were as ambitious as they were challenging. We had to deliver a low-carbon building in an extremely remote location that felt contemporary and rooted in its context. Right from the beginning, we and our clients agreed that the building should feel almost entirely built and finished in sustainable timber.”
Crucially, the material helped the project team overcome almost every challenge associated with an unusual and highly specific brief – to deliver a modern and ultra-stylish modular building with a seamless interior, located in an incredibly remote location.
“The project had other unique stipulations, from being built as a modular, easily demountable structure to avoiding wet trades. We considered using solid oak planks throughout the interiors, but the associated costs and installation time in such a remote location meant using this material was not an option. Discovering Decospan’s Querkus gave us the ability to create the warmth and feel of solid timber boards in a more sustainable and practical format. A supply solution came through our contractor, Spey, who introduced us to their long-time materials distribution partner, James Latham.”
When the James Latham Panels Team was briefed on the unique requirements by WTA, they suggested Decospan’s Querkus Natural Vivace S1 Veneer as the ideal solution. The project team quickly recognised that this decorative finish not only met the desired visual appeal and durability but also had an impressively low carbon footprint. James Latham’s Veneer Product Champion, Ed Latham, said: “It was love at first sight for WTA, and I can understand why. Querkus is a truly outstanding product, with veneers manufactured from sustainably harvested European white oak and reclaimed oak timbers, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.
“Bonded to an MDF core, cutting-edge manufacturing techniques mean the panels successfully evoke the timeless beauty of natural wood in a lower-carbon format. Not only that, it’s also sturdy, robust and low-maintenance, suitable for finishing and furniture in busy, regularly used interior environments. Simply, it’s one of those rare materials that delivers on every level.”
The results are visually stunning and stand as a testament to the creativity of everyone involved in transforming a distant brief into a sustainable, structurally innovative reality. Beyond just design and construction, the recommendation and use of Querkus for Taigh na Coille perfectly exemplifies James Latham’s unmatched ability to achieve the ‘perfect match’ between project brief and selected materials.
Angus Reid-Evans, Principal Contractor at Spey Building and Joinery, concluded: “James Latham’s recommendation of Querkus was an inspirational one, and demonstrates a deep understanding of material performance and how it always goes the extra mile to make recommendations which actually fit the brief. From my perspective, the veneer and the consistency of the surface grain simplified the construction process. The panel structure helped us achieve the modular objective, ensuring the building can be easily dismantled and rebuilt if needed. It’s a fantastic material and it played an integral role in the project’s success.”
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