Ecopod

A new concept in luxury low-carbon tourism, Ecopod, tucked deep into the Scottish Highlands, is a spacious geodesic dome that offers a quirky retreat for couples. Nestled in the woodland with spectacular views over Loch Linnhe and Castle Stalker (Monty Python's Castle Arghh), Ecopod was designed in partnership with Zendome, Berlin, to offer an amazing open-plan, light-filled space.

The interior of the Ecopod includes high-end audio-visual equipment and an array of locally-sourced produce and toiletries. Everything is specifically chosen by a caretaker with the environment in mind: low-energy appliances, sustainable wood (sourced locally within 10km of the site), a hand-made cedar hot tub, etc.

Named a National Scenic Area, the site of the geodesic dome is one of Scotland's finest. In order to be constructed at this specific place, the Ecopod has to be built in a way that it would leave no long-term trace on the land and have the smallest carbon footprint possible. The design of Ecopod was so successful, actually, that its carbon footprint is less than two percent that of a typical building of similar size.

Arguing that tourism needs nature, the Ecopod's design team built an outer membrane that allows the dome to blend into its surroundings. The dome also brings nature inside, with all of the fuel for the wood pellet stove coming from the Highlands and a water supply for the boiler streaming down a hill through the forest. All waste water is then cleaned and returned to the stream some 15 meters from where it was taken.