For 21 years, Dualchas has been leading the way in Highland's architectural renaissance with great success. The co-founders, identical twins Alasdair and Neil Stephen, started Dualchas to help stop the population decline in the Highlands. They drew inspiration from the traditional blackhouses of the Highlands, which were byre dwellings similar to long houses found in Northern Europe for over a thousand years. Unlike other countries, the long houses in Scotland were not protected and were often seen as a sign of poverty and backwardness. Dualchas was the first architecture firm in Scotland to create a modern longhouse, with the aim of offering an affordable, beautifully designed alternative that could contribute to the cultural regeneration of the Highlands.