Best Scottish Building, Doolan Prize, Winner, Architects, Exhibition, Shortlist, UK
Best Building in Scotland : Andrew Doolan Award
RIAS Award for Architecture – Scottish Built Environment Prize
8 Nov 2013
RIAS Andrew Doolan Award for Architecture 2013
WASPS South Block, Glasgow Scoops UK’s Richest Architecture Prize
At a ceremony in the Scottish Parliament, WASPS South Block in Glasgow by NORD Architecture has been awarded the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award for 2013. From a shortlist of twelve projects, all winners of RIAS Awards for 2013 (presented in June 2013), the judges selected WASPS South Block as a clear winner. The award was presented by the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Ms Fiona Hyslop MSP with Mrs Margaret Doolan Hon FRIAS (the late Andrew Doolan’s mother).
WASPS South Block:
photograph : Dapple Photography
In her address, preceding the Doolan Award, the Cabinet Secretary announced a new joint Scottish Government/RIAS Award for Client of the Year. This follows the aspiration within the Government’s new architecture policy, Creating Places, for such a national award. This was followed by the surprise announcement of an inaugural winner of the Client Award (which will in future form part of the RIAS Awards, presented each summer). The first ever Scottish Government/RIAS Client of the Year Award was presented to Fr. Dermot Morrin (OP) who played a crucial role in the evolution of the RIAS Award-winning Chapel of Saint Albert the Great, Edinburgh.
The winner of this year’s RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award receives a gold medal cast by internationally renowned Scottish Goldsmith, James Brent Ward and a cheque for £25,000. This makes it the richest architectural prize in the UK and one of the most significant awards in Europe. The award is generously supported by the late Andrew Doolan’s family and by the Scottish Government.
Ms Hyslop commented;
“Year upon year, the outstanding quality of Scotland’s new architecture continues to reinforce our international reputation for creativity. This consistently high standard is reflected once again in this year’s remarkable shortlist for the RIAS Andrew Doolan Award for Best Building in Scotland. The winning scheme, WASPS South Block, is a tremendous and inspiring focus for creativity and innovation and, like previous winners of the Award, it is a building of which Scotland can be proud.
In architecture award ceremonies, the centre spotlight naturally falls on the building design, for which the architect’s role is rightly celebrated. However, although less often publicly recognised, the role of the client is also vitally important.
For this reason, the Scottish Government working in partnership with RIAS, has established a new Client Award to recognise client support for good architecture. I am delighted that this will become part of the annual RIAS Awards in future years. This year’s winner, Father Dermot Morrin, the client for the Chapel of St Albert the Great in Edinburgh, is a very deserving winner of the inaugural award. Throughout the evolution of the project he was a consistently inspiring, encouraging, intelligent and supportive client.”
The full judges’ citation for the winning project reads:
“This building points towards an architecture of humanity rather than show. It defines a new set of principles where the architect is, above all, the orchestrator of spatial constructs that offer opportunities for a life lived with greater social sympathy. The building is peppered with moments of generosity that delight and enchant. Whether NORD Architecture is seen as interpreters of their client’s visions or as curators of atmospheric working, this building is an architectural gift worth emulating.
The project contributes to Glasgow City Council’s inspired regeneration policy to consolidate and enhance the Merchant City’s reputation as a leading European cultural quarter. For 20 years, the behemoth city block at King Street, Glasgow (now South Block) was occupied on an ad hoc basis by charities and largely under used. The building, originally light industrial workshops and offices, was designed to house large, open plan, factory spaces.
NORD has crafted and choreographed the renovation of this existing building with extraordinary rigour. With great sensitivity and the slimmest of budgets, the architects have produced a specific environment for creative industries. Normally office buildings speak of generic environments. Here, within a tailored set of spaces, interaction and the promise of collaboration is easy to imagine.”
The building was selected from a strong shortlist of twelve projects which represented a comprehensive range of building types. The judges felt that five projects merited a Special Mention. These are:
The Chapel of St Albert the Great, Edinburgh Simpson & Brown Architects
Forth Valley College of Further and Higher Education (Stirling Campus) Reiach and Hall Architects
The Ghost of Water Row, Govan Edo Architecture
Sir Duncan Rice Library, Aberdeen Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects
The Thomas Telford Parliamentary Church, North Uist Patience & Highmore
The panel of judges was chaired by Professor Andy MacMillan OBE FRIAS with Karen Anderson FRIAS, Chair of Architecture and Design Scotland, Christophe Egret Hon FRIAS of Studio Egret West and Indira Van’t Klooster, Editor-in-Chief of, Netherlands based, A10 Magazine.
The panel looked for projects which showed innovation and design excellence, irrespective of size or type. Other key considerations were: detailing, accessibility, environmental issues and technical skill. From the seventy five entries for the 2013 RIAS Awards twelve were shortlisted for the ‘Doolan’.
Professor Andy MacMillan OBE FRIAS, commented; “The standard of the shortlisted projects for the Doolan Award is always high. This year we visited twelve projects throughout Scotland which were widely varying in scale and building type. Their quality bodes well for the future of Scottish architecture but the five Special Mentions are of truly international quality – and the winner is a real gem!”
Iain Connelly, President of the RIAS, commented that; “The RIAS Andrew Doolan Award has never been simply an architectural beauty contest. This building delivers to its users, to the local economy and to the creative industries – in spades! The architects have taken an unloved Edwardian city block and, with the most modest of budgets, transformed it into a superbly attractive and welcoming new focus for invention, innovation and creativity, buzzing with energy. This is an extraordinary and truly special architectural achievement”
WASPS South Block:
photograph : Dapple Photography
WASPS South Block, Glasgow
NORD Architecture (Client: Wasps Creative Industries CIC)
8 Nov 2012
RIAS Andrew Doolan Award for Architecture 2012
Maggie’s Gartnavel in Glasgow Scoops UK’s Richest Architecture Prize
At a ceremony in the Scottish Parliament, Maggie’s Gartnavel in Glasgow by Dutch architects, OMA, has been awarded the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award 2012. From a shortlist of fourteen projects, all winners of RIAS Awards for 2012 (presented in June 2012), the judges selected the Maggie’s Centre as a clear winner. The award was presented by the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Ms Fiona Hyslop MSP with Mrs Margaret Doolan Hon FRIAS (the late Andrew Doolan’s mother).
photo © Charlie Koolhaas
Ms Hyslop, commented;
“Scotland’s international reputation for creativity is reflected in the outstanding quality of our architecture. This excellence is demonstrated by the superb shortlist for the RIAS Andrew Doolan Award in this, our Year of Creative Scotland – all of the nominated projects are exemplary and encourage ever higher standards. The Maggie’s Centre at Gartnavel is a building I know well. It is a tremendous resource for cancer patients and their families, a place of contemplation, support and healing. It is a huge credit to its enlightened client and to the sensitivity and skill of its architect.”
The winner of this year’s RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award receives a gold medal cast by internationally renowned Scottish Goldsmith, James Brent Ward, one side of the medal depicts RIAS founder, Sir Robert Rowand Anderson with the recent, competition-winning, design by architect Robin Watson FRIAS on the verso, depicting a helical stair overlaid with a skewed Saltire (reflecting those on the Scottish Parliament ceiling) and a cheque for £25,000. This makes it the richest architectural prize in the UK and one of the most significant awards in Europe. The award is generously supported by the late Andrew Doolan’s family and by the Scottish Government.
The full judges citation for the winning project reads:
“This is an extraordinary building – a place of calm, simultaneously welcoming and open. Maggie’s Centres provide support for people with cancer, their families and friends. Exceptional architecture and innovative spaces make people feel better. This single-level building, a ring of interlocking rooms, is close to the Beatson Cancer Centre. The spaces feel casual but allow for privacy. The approach is about modest external expression, embracing a courtyard garden to generate a unique place of gentle contemplation and an exemplary caring environment.”
Maggie’s Gartnavel – winner of UK’s Richest Architecture Prize
photo © Adrian Welch
The building was selected from a strong shortlist of fourteen projects which represented a comprehensive range of building types. The judges felt that five projects merited a Special Mention. These are:
Corinthian Club, Glasgow
G1 Group
Fore Street, Glasgow
Hypostyle Architects
Heathfield Primary School, Ayr
Holmes Miller
House at Boreraig, Skye
Dualchas Building Design
Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh
PagePark Architects
The panel of judges was chaired by Professor Andy MacMillan OBE FRIAS with Ian Gilzean FRIAS of the Scottish Government’s Architecture and Place Division, Kerr Robertson FRIAS of Glasgow City Council and Daphne Thissen Hon FRIAS, Cultural Attache, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The panel looked for projects which showed innovation and design excellence, irrespective of size or type. Other key considerations were: detailing, accessibility, environmental issues and technical skill. From the seventy one entries for the 2012 RIAS Awards fourteen were shortlisted for the ‘Doolan’.
Professor Andy MacMillan OBE FRIAS, commented;
“The standard of the shortlisted projects for the Doolan Award is always high. This year we visited fourteen projects throughout Scotland which were widely varying in scale and building type. Their quality bodes well for the future of Scottish architecture but the five Special Mentions are of truly international quality and the winner is a gem.”
Sholto Humphries, President of the RIAS, commented that;
“The RIAS was established to promote Scotland’s architecture and support best practice. The Doolan Award does both – in spades! We are very grateful to the late Andy Doolan’s family and the Scottish Government and particularly the Cabinet Secretary for their tremendous and continuing support.”
Maggie’s Gartnavel, Glasgow, Scotland – winner of UK’s Richest Architecture Prize
photo © Adrian Welch
RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award Winners
2011
National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
photo © Adrian Welch
National Museum of Scotland
Best Building in Scotland Award
2010
Shettleston Housing Association Offices, Glasgow
Elder and Cannon Architects
photo © Andrew Lee
Shettleston Housing Association Offices
Best Building in Scotland Award 2010
2009
Small Animal Hospital, Glasgow
Archial Architects
photo © Andrew Lee
Small Animal Hospital Glasgow
Best Building in Scotland Award 2009
2008
Joint Winners
Potterrow, Edinburgh
Bennetts Associates
photo © Adrian Welch
Potterrow, Edinburgh
Castlemilk House Stables Block, Glasgow
Elder & Cannon Architects
photo © Keith Hunter
Castlemilk House Stables Block, Glasgow
Special Mention:
Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre, Inverness
Gareth Hoskins Architects
Andrew Doolan Award for Architecture : 2008
2007
Pier Arts Centre, Orkney
Reiach & Hall Architects
photo © Gavin Fraser, Alastair Peebles
Andy Doolan Awards winner
Andrew Doolan Award for Architecture : 2007
2006
Maggie’s Highland Cancer Care Centre, Inverness
PagePark Architects
photo © Adrian Welch
Best Building in Scotland – Maggies Highlands
Best Building in Scotland Award 2006
2005
Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh
EMBT/RMJM
2004
St Aloysius College, Glasgow
Elder and Cannon Architects
2003
An Turas, Tiree
Sutherland Hussey Architects with Jake Harvey, Glen Onwin, Donald Urquhart and Sandra Kennedy
2002
Dance Base, Edinburgh
Malcolm Fraser Architects
Location: Scotland
Architecture in Scotland
Contemporary Architecture in Scotland – architectural selection below:
Scottish Architecture Designs – chronological list
Paisley Museum Building, western Scotland
Design: AL_A
image courtesy of architects office
Paisley Museum Renewal
RIAS Lifetime Achievement Award
Comments / photos for the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award page welcome