Home / Environment / Rotting Timber: Pyramid Viewpoint Vanishes From Loch Lomond
Rotting Timber: Pyramid Viewpoint Vanishes From Loch Lomond
22 Feb
Summary
- A £280,000 pyramid viewpoint on Loch Lomond has been removed.
- Structural issues arose from a design flaw causing timber to rot.
- Repairs were deemed economically unviable due to extensive damage.
The An Ceann Mor viewpoint, a striking pyramid-shaped structure on Loch Lomond, has been removed after just nine years. The £280,000 installation, erected in 2015 at Inveruglas to provide views of the Arrochar Alps and Ben Lomond, suffered from extensive timber rot.
Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park authority identified "significant structural issues" stemming from a design flaw. This oversight failed to incorporate sufficient drainage and ventilation, trapping moisture and causing the timber to decay. Despite initial plans for repairs in the 2024/25 financial year, further investigations revealed the damage to be too substantial and economically unviable to fix.
The designers, BTE Architecture Ltd, stated that the final structure "did not fully reflect our original proposals" and that the design, including drainage, was overseen and signed off by the authority's senior architect. The structure, initially praised for its sustainable timber, began showing signs of degradation within years of its opening.
The site has now been cleared, and the park authority has communicated the closure to stakeholders. Alternative proposals for the location are set to be developed, as the authority learns from this experience while remaining committed to sustainable design.
