In Pictures: Exceptional buildings win architecture awards

The winners of Scotland’s prestigious national architecture awards have been named.

The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) has named eight “exceptional” buildings as winners

The top properties include a secondary school built with pupils’ mental health in mind, and a rural office building on the edge of the Balmoral Estate.

Here are the 2022 prize winners and why they were chosen.

The new Falkirk Campus for Forth Valley marks the culmination of a decade-long estates programme. Its focus is on science and technology, engineering, sport and healthcare and the project tried to embody a progressive approach to education where inclusion and respect are key. The building boasts cutting-edge classrooms, flexible spaces and advanced technology.

Havenfield Mews is a development of three family townhouses in a new mews street in Portobello, built on the site of a former church hall. RIAS said the small-scale project appealed because it was sympathetic to the existing style and character of the neighbourhood, and was carefully designed as a place for people rather than for vehicles. The project prioritised a fabric first approach with careful consideration given to maximising passive heat gains. Despite the relatively constrained site, the houses are generously sized, and full of character and light, said the judges.

High Sunderland is a 1957 Category A-listed modernist building designed by Peter Womersley. Its future was in jeopardy following a fire in 2017 until new owners Juliet Kinchin and Paul Stirton – both Scottish historians of architecture and design – appointed Loader Monteith to undertake an extraordinarily careful and skilful restoration. The result combines a forensic approach to building conservation and reuse, while improving High Sunderland’s energy performance.

The new Jedburgh Grammar enjoys a design that prioritises students’ mental health and wellbeing. Stallan-Brand Architecture and Design’s approach created flexible spaces that allow students to take ownership of their space, and instead of generic classrooms, it offers a variety of places for students to learn, present, socialise, make and retreat.

Konishi Gaffney didn’t have to look far for materials for the new offices and visitor centre at the UK’s largest sawmill. The building acts as a demonstration project, almost entirely erected from James Jones and Sons’ own products with an approach to minimising the use of steel and maximising timber. The ode to sustainable timber construction showcases the company’s ambition as well as its operations in presenting a flagship for Scotland’s timber industry.

Ostro Passivhaus is a contemporary and low-energy dwelling, RIAS said it was a labour of love from architects Mhairi Grant and Martin McCrae who built the house by hand over several years on a modest budget. Nothing is unnecessary or superfluous and the building demonstrated beauty and durability in the face of the climate crisis.

Moxon Architects’ own office is a low-lying building, surrounded by thick forest, tucked into the bowl of a former quarry in the Cairngorms National Park. The building combines a studio and café, a private and a public face, with the latter providing valuable amenity to the small community. It is welcoming and accessible, with a layout that is tied to the landscape. The lightweight building was designed to support local labour through the promotion of traditional trades and contemporary construction techniques.

Two dilapidated flats were combined to create this holiday home and studio space – conceived as a den and lookout post with spectacular views across the Kyles of Bute. Stone walls and battered floorboards were retained within the split-level living space, encased within a new plywood volume containing the kitchen, bedrooms and storage, and clad with an insulated metal ‘exoskeleton’. The result is a contemporary addition to the town with equally unique interiors.

All eight winners will now be judged to find the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award – one of the most significant architecture prizes in the world – which will be announced in November.

They will also go into the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Awards.

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