About Outsideology
Our story began back in 2010, when Neil, our designer, was first asked to help find a suitable observatory for a friend in Edinburgh, Scotland. There were many observatory products on the market at the time, but none provided the security, longevity or quality that he required. And so Neil, with the help of master joiners Joe and Ryzsard, set about creating what would become the finest observatory made commercially in the UK. Though it was our very first, it had several very important qualities: it was damp-free, fully secure and built to a quality that meant it was destined for a lifetime’s observing. Since then, we have continued to design and build observatories of all shapes and sizes. In 2015, we formed Outsideology as a full-time business to deliver our renowned observatories throughout the UK.
Since then, we’ve not only designed and built many more observatories but, in early 2017, we built the first of an entirely new breed of general-purpose garden buildings – representing the culmination of two years of research and development. We’re delighted to say that this has performed beyond all our expectations and, more importantly, those of its owner. We’ve gone on to build many more under our separate brand Kani.House.
Our People
Neil is an experienced astronomer and holds a masters degree in Physics with Space Science. Responsible for the design and creation of our observatories and garden buildings, Neil is passionate about creating spaces that enhance our enjoyment of the outdoors, especially the Night Sky. He’s also a fully qualified electrician, which is handy! When not designing and building our observatories, Neil frequently speaks on astronomy, teaches astro-photography and in his rare ‘down-time’ enjoys outdoor walks and dining out.
Vanessa, Neil’s wife, is company director along with Neil himself. Keeping a watchful eye over the business, she provides all kinds of expertise in business administration and management. She holds degrees in biochemistry and dietetics, is an enthusiastic baker and loves reading.
On the manufacture and installation side, we’re lucky to have two brilliant teams of skilled carpenters. Based in the South West, Aaron and Cam are responsible for the majority of our UK-based observatory builds, and Jeremy and Jimmy cover the South East in particular. Both teams have installed a number of observatories each and are proud to maintain the high standards of work set by Neil, Joe and Ryzsard from the beginning. We’re grateful to be supported by a constellation of brilliant tradespeople like Liam, our plasterer, Graham and Dathan our plumbers, and many more who help us to realise our projects with great skill and attention to detail.
