The Admiral’s House is set in an idyllic location in the Braes on the east coast of the Isle of Skye. A former blackhouse, the building was donated to Wasps by the family of Vice Admiral Sir Roderick (Roddy) Macdonald KBE.
The site is surrounded by stunning land and sea views. The closest town of Portree is a 15-minute drive away.
We invite applications from artists of all disciplines and stages in their career. Collectives as well as individuals are accepted as residents.
residency
disabled access
about admiral roddy
Ollach House was very kindly donated to Wasps by Vice Admiral Sir Roderick Macdonald KBE. The Admiral spent much of his life serving in the Royal Navy, with periods of time spent abroad working, before retiring to live on Skye to take up painting.
While adapting and modernising the building to bring it up to a suitable standard, we have retained and restored the individual character of the place to reflect the time spent there by the Admiral.
lady joan’s studio
This studio is a recent addition to the site and boasts incredible views across the Straits of Raasay. A timber structure, the studio is completely white with good interior lighting and large picture window. The space itself is around 161 sqft and has a desk, chair, easel and some shelves. This studio would lend itself to creative people such as painters, clean practices such as writers or those working on a smaller-scale, that are seeking a more quiet and contemplative experience to develop new work.
admiral roddy’s studio
The former Admiral’s original painting studio is a purpose built, wooden panelled studio with plenty of natural light. It is a large space of approx. 307 sqft with a timber coloured interior and flooring, windows across the entirety of the right hand wall, sky lights and strip lighting. It contains two desks that belonged to the Admiral, a long work bench and easel. Although directly in front of the house, there are three steps leading to the entrance so visitors with disabilities may require some assistance.
alan macdonald’s studio
This converted garage is a large, airy space, with good lighting and whitewashed walls. It includes a work bench and two tables, chair and easel. The washout area, including Belfast sink, is attached to the back of the studio. The space is around 266 sqft with good heating and a timber workbench which can be moved around the space. This space would be ideal for messier practices such as sculpture or ceramics. The large garage doors can also be left open in summer months to maximise light and working space. This studio sits next to the house and is probably the most accessible workspace on the site.
being a wasps tenant
Join the Wasps community of around 1,000 artists, makers and designers based across Scotland
- A secure home for artists – all our buildings are either owned or on long term rentals across the estate
- 24/7 access all year round
- Ability to join the Own Art scheme – making art sales easier!
- Promotion on the Wasps website (receiving tens of thousands of visitors per month) with an self-managed artist profile through the community page
- Access to the Wasps tenant portal, which is full of helpful resources and guidance
- Exhibiting and selling opportunities through our arts programme
available spaces
Fortnight-long bookings - Full house and grounds or one room, one studio and the communal living quarters and grounds.
Spaces available for 2025 onwards
Choose from three studios at this location: Admiral Roddy’s, Lady Joan’s and Alan Macdonald’s. Each is suitable to different kinds of artistic practice. Wasps will endeavour to match you with the most appropriate studio.
Limited sale price for bookings made for 2025 (not including £150 deposit):
- For a fortnight: £2,200
To book, or for prices beyond 2025, please email residencies@waspsstudios.org.uk.
Enquire Now
Month-long bookings - Full house and grounds or one room, one studio and the communal living quarters and grounds.
Spaces available for 2025 onwards
Choose from three studios at this location: Admiral Roddy’s, Lady Joan’s and Alan Macdonald’s. Each is suitable to different kinds of artistic practice. Wasps will endeavour to match you with the most appropriate studio.
Limited sale price for bookings made for 2025 (not including £150 deposit):
- For 1 month: £4,000
To book, or for prices beyond 2025, please email residencies@waspsstudios.org.uk.
Enquire Nowaccessibility & getting here
accessibility
The Admiral’s House is wheelchair accessible, with a ramp at the front door. One of the toilets within the property has turning space for a wheelchair and both bathrooms have walk-in shower facilities. Of the three studios available, the adapted garage space would be the most suitable for visitors who need assistance with accessibility due to its proximity to the house. The house sits on rural terrain meaning that the track from the main road is uneven underfoot, as is the land between the house and the studios. When booking the Admirals’ House please make us aware of any assistance you may need.
address
The Admiral's House
4 Lower Ollach
Braes
Isle of Skye
IV51 9LJ
getting here
The Admiral's House sits in 0.5 acres of ground and is roughly 15 minutes drive from Portree. The house itself is in Ollach, a very small village in the Braes area of Skye. The Admiral's House itself sits back from the road, right on the coast with views of Ben Tianavaig to the north east and the island of Raasay to the east. As such it sits roughly half way between north and south of the island, and can potentially play a role in helping to link the creative communities across the island. The environment is rugged and beautiful, changing rapidly with the weather. On a clear day the Old Man of Storr, the Cuillins and other Skye landmarks can be seen from nearby viewpoints.
