"Orkney has a rich and diverse heritage of handicraft. This culture attracts tourists to the islands and affords Orkney a unique identity in a world of mass production. My thesis project sought to capture this small scale craft and translate it into architecture at a larger scale. Starting as a novice, I learnt the craft of stone carving. Using the local red sandstone as a vehicle for exploration, I questioned the place of craftsmanship in an ever increasing technologically-driven architectural society. I concluded that the intricacies and imperfections caused by the hand making a mark offer a special character that cannot otherwise be created and that the care and attention given to everyday objects - such as a handrail - can turn the ordinary into something worthy of celebration."