This image shows the replica Iron Age Broch design proposed by the Caithness Broch Project, which aims to build a full-scale replica broch using traditional techniques and create a permanent visitor attraction and dry stone workshop near the village of Latheron in the Caithness region of Scotland. The challenge is to build the broch as authentically as possible while maintaining compliance with modern building regulations. Planning permission was granted for the development in 2025, and the team are now seeking funding to begin construction. When complete, it will be the first broch to be built in Scotland in almost two thousand years.

How this image was made

Software and tools used: Blender 3D, Cycles Render Engine, Photoshop

Notes: Throughout the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, I worked remotely with the project's lead architect to develop a 3D computer model to visualise how the replica broch design might sit within the Caithness landscape–a key element of the planning application. From the model, I produced detailed cutaway visuals to communicate the broch's interior spaces. The model underwent a series of revisions before we agreed on its final design, though it will likely be adapted as the project progresses.

More about this project: https://www.thebrochproject.co.uk/