Scottish Architects : Architecture Studios
Key Architectural Offices in Scotland. Contemporary UK Design Practices.
post updated 15 September 2026
This page contains a selection of major Scottish architects, with links to individual practice pages. We select the key Scottish Architects, but additions are always welcome. The focus is on contemporary architects in Scotland but information on traditional architecture studios is also welcome.
Scottish Architects Offices
Scottish architects offices, building designers studios
Scotland architecture practices:
The most celebrated architects from the past are Robert Adam, Rennie Mackintosh and Alexander Thomson, though many others such as Playfair and Bryce should be noted.
Currently the most notable contemporary Scottish architecture practices include (in alphabetical order) Dick Cannon, Alan Dunlop, Malcolm Fraser, Richard Murphy, Allan Murray, Gordon Murray, David Page and Paul Stallan. Of course this list will change over time as new Scottish design studios gather strength.
‘Dundee House’ – city council office building by a contemporary Scottish architecture office:
image © Dave Morris
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Key Contemporary Scottish Architects
Links to modern Scottish Architect Practices, alphabetical by surname:
Gareth Hoskins Architects – Scottish architect office with design studios also based elsewhere (Berlin). Sadly Gareth Hoskins has passed away.
gm+ad architects – Scottish architect practice now closed
Keppie Design – Scottish architect office with design studios also based elsewhere
Morris and Steedman Associates
NORD – Scottish architect practice now closed
Richard Murphy Architects
RMJM Architects – Scottish architect office with design studios also based elsewhere (numerous offices)
Sutherland Hussey Harris Architects – previously Sutherland Hussey Architects
Ushida Findlay – Scottish architect practice closed then reactivated
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British Architect Practices with Scots as directors
Bennetts Associates, London
Benson + Forsyth, London
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Famous 20th Century Scottish Architect
Andrew Doolan – Glasgow born, Edinburgh architect office
Andrew Doolan, grew up in Kirkintilloch; after a spell in the fire service he became an apprentice architect. Andrew Doolan (popularly known simply as Andy) died in 2004.
Andrew Doolan was a famous Scottish architect, property developer and hotelier, a self-made millionaire. Doolan not only designed and ran his own hotels, but also sponsored the UK’s largest architecture prize, since renamed Andrew Doolan Award for Architecture.
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Historic Scottish Architects
Major architects include Robert Adam, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Robert Matthew, William Playfair, David Bryce, Basil Spence, Alexander Thomson, William Burn, JJ Burnet, Thomas Hamilton, William Kininmonth and Gillespie Kidd & Coia architects.
Scottish Architects Practices from the past
Mellerstain House, historic Scottish Borders property:
photo © Adrian Welch
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Key Historic Scottish Architects Offices – Further Information
Important Architects in Scotland, alphabetical by surname:
Robert Adam
Robert was born in 1728 in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, and is buried in Westminster Abbey, England. Robert Adam was not only the leading Scottish architect of the 18th century – and exponent of the Classical Georgian style – but remains Scotland’s most famous architect. He became architect to George III. Major buildings include the Culzean Castle, Hopetoun House, Register House in Edinburgh, Charlotte Square, Old College, Mellerstain, Dalquharran Castle and Mavisbank. In 1761 Robert was appointed ‘Architect of the King’s Works’, jointly with William Chambers.
William Chambers (Scottish architect, born in Sweden)
William Chambers was born in Sweden of British parentage but practised as an architect in England and Scotland. He was the architecture tutor to King George III and in 1761 was appointed with Robert Adam as George’s Royal Architect of Works. Key buildings include the Royal Academy of Arts and Somerset House, both in London.
Gillespie Kidd & Coia
Glaswegian architecture practice. Their major building was St Peter’s College, Cardross, Helensburgh, Scotland. Jack Coia – Winner of RIBA Gold Medal 1969. In Scotland Gillespie Kidd & Coia are principally known for their Glasgow Churches and tend to be viewed through Isi Metzstein & Andy MacMillan.
Rennie Mackintosh
World famous architect, born in 1868 in Glasgow, designer of Glasgow Herald, Glasgow School of Art, Hill House, House for an Art Lover and the Willow Tea Rooms. Glasgow School of Art is probably the most well known Charles Rennie Mackintosh building and certainly his most well respected. Powerful sandstone block with dark, woody interior – save the bright hen run high up on the south facade – perched on a steep incline. This is architecture of global importance, recorded in most Histories of 20th Century Architecture. Powerful influence for Art Nouveau and later for Modernism.
Robert Matthew
Robert Matthew, born in 1906, became London County Council Chief Architect. Working for the LCC made his name and he was instrumental in creating one of the UK’s key 20th century buildings, New Zealand House off Pall Mall, London. Robert Matthew had graduated from Edinburgh College of Art and he returned to Scotland in 1953. Other key buildings were the Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh and David Hume Tower, He was the RM in the later global practice of RMJM, originally titled Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall & Partners. He also was Edinburgh University Professor of Architecture later in his career.
Basil Spence
(born in Bombay, India ; died, England)
Basil Spence was born in Bombay but was sent back to Scotland to study. He attended George Watson’s College in Edinburgh, then the architecture school at Heriot-Watt University, before completing his architectural studies at the Bartlett School of Architecture in London.
He started his career as an architecture assistant in the London office of Sir Edwin Lutyens. Major Buildings include Coventry Cathedral, England ; Beehive, Wellington, New Zealand ; University of Sussex, Student Accommodation, Brighton, England ; Queen Elizabeth Square Housing, Glasgow, Scotland ; British Embassy, Rome, Italy and the Ministry of Justice, Kuwait City.
James Stirling
Architects office based in London. Key buildings include the Faculty of History at the University of Cambridge, Clore Gallery at the Tate Gallery in London, Lowry Centre in Salford andNumber 1 Poultry in the City of London.
Alexander Thomson
Alexander Thomson is one of the best architects of the nineteenth-century architecture and is frequently seen in opposition to fellow Glasgow architect Mackintosh due to the latter’s greater fame in the last few decades. Thomson was a prolific architect and created designs for a wide range of buildings including churches, houses, bazaars, tenements and warehouses. Greek Thomson’s designs are unusual and eclectic, decorative but powerful. His buildings are rooted in the Greek Revival, but he looked for inspiration in architectural styles far beyond Europe. His key buildings are the St Vincent St Church and the Caledonia Road Church.
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Scottish Architects from the past
Some Architects are included simply due to having designed major Scottish buildings, eg the Scott brothers.
Adam Bros. architects
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Stamford, Lincs.
James Adam architect
Babbity Bowster, Glasgow
McLennan Arch, Glasgow
Hertford, Herts – Fore Street
John Adam architect
Banff, Banffshire
Dalkeith Palace minor additions (1762)
Downhill Castle, Northumberland
Probably the most famous Scottish architects of all time – Robert Adam, from an illustrious family of Scottish architects:
Robert Adam architect
Adelphi project, London
Airthrey Castle, Stirlingshire
Alnwick Castle, Northumberland
Archerfield House (interior), East Lothian
Ballochmyle House, Ayrshire
Binley, Warks. – Church of St Bartholomew
Brockhall, Northants.
Burton Constable, Yorks.
Castle Upton, Antrim
Culzean Castle, Ayrshire
Dalquharran Castle, south Ayrshire
Dumfries House
Fort George, Inverness.
Gifford, East Lothian – Yester House*
Gosford House, East Lothian
Gunton, Norfolk – Church of St Andrew
Harewood House with John Carr of York
Headfort House, Meath
Jerviston, Lanarkshire
Kedleston Hall, Derbys.
Kimbolton Castle, Hunts.
Kirkdale, Kircudbrightshire
London – Hyde Park Corner, Kenwood, Royal Hospital
Mavisbank, Berwicks. with Sir John Clerk
Mellerstain, Berwicks. with William Adam
Milton Abbas, Dorset – Abbey
Newliston, West Lothian
No.8 Queen St, Edinburgh
Newby Hall, Yorks.
Nostell Priory, Yorks.
Osterley Park House, London
Oxenford, Midlothian
Register House, Princes St, Edinburgh
Stowe, Bucks.
Sunnyside, Midlothian
Syon House, London
Trades Hall, Glasgow
*Yester House – 1699-1728 by James Smith and Alexander MacGill, with interventions by William & Robert Adam
William Adam architect
Caroline Park – west range only, Edinburgh, possible input from John Adam
Chatelherault Lodge, Lanarks.
Duff House – Banff, Banffs.
General Wade’s Bridge – Aberfeldy, Perths.
Haddo House, Aberddenshire
Haddington Town House, 1748, East Lothian
Pollok House Pollokshaws, Lanarks.
Robert Gordon’s College, Aberdeen
The Royal Infirmary, High School Yards, Edinburgh
Robert Rowand Anderson architect
Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen St, Edinburgh
Scottish Provident Building, (Rowand Anderson Kininmonth & Paul)
Cornelius Armour architect
Luma Building, Glasgow
image from architects
W Hamilton Beattie architect
Jenners, Edinburgh (photo above)
Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh
William Bruce architect
Balcaskie House, Fife
Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfriesshire
Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh
Hopetoun House, West Lothian
Kinross House, Kinross
Thirlstane Castle, Berwicks.
David Bryce architect
Balcarres House (William Burn 1834), additions 1863
Balfour Castle, Shapinsay, Orkney 1846-50
Bank of Scotland, Edinburgh (former British Linen Bank) 1846
The Bank of Scotland, The Mound, Edinburgh 1864-71
Cairnhill House 1840s
Carradale House, Carradale Bay, Kintyre 1844 (18th Century house extended)
Craigends House, Renfrewshire 1857; demolished 1971
Dalkeith Palace: conservatory & church with William Burn 1850’s
Dargavel House, Bishopton, redevelopment 1849
Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Lauriston Place
Fettes College, Fettes Avenue, Edinburgh 1864-70
Free St. George’s Church, Shandwick Place, Edinburgh 1867-69
Hamilton and Inches: refurbishment of 87 George St, Edinburgh 1835
Kinnaird Castle, Angus 1854
Leny, Callendar, 1845
Seacliffe, North Berwick 1841
Tollcross, Tollcross Park, Glasgow 1848
Torosay, Isle of Mull 1856
Robert Burn architect (1752-1815)
Nelson’s Monument Calton Hill, Edinburgh
Hermitage of Braid, Edinburgh
laid out the Picardy estate
William Burn architect
Blairquhan Castle, Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland 1821
Court House, Haddington
Custom House Leith (interior), Leith, Edinburgh
Dalkeith Palace: conservatory & church with David Bryce 1850’s
(David Bryce was a partner in William Burn’s practice)
Invergowrie, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee 1837
John Watson’s School, now the SNGMA, Edinburgh
Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh
Melville Monument, Edinburgh 1823
Milton Lockhart, Lanarkshire 1829
Pitcairns House, Dunning, Perthshire, Scotland ,1827
St John’s Church, Princes Street, Edinburgh 1816-18
Stenhouse, Stirlingshire re-modelling 1836
Tyninghame House, East Linton, East Lothian 1830
John James Burnet architect
The Athenaeum, Glasgow 1886
Atlantic Chambers, Hope St, Glasgow 1899
Barony Hall, Glasgow: conversion 1990
Burtons store, Princes St, Edinburgh 1906-07
Charing Cross Mansions, Charing Cross, Glasgow 1889-91
Finlaystone House, Renfrewshire 1900
Tron Theatre: screen, Glasgow –
Trustee Savings Bank, Glasgow 1894-1900
William Chambers architect
Royal Bank of Scotland Headquarters, Edinburgh
Charles Cockerell (English architect)
National Monument, Calton Hill, Edinburgh
James Craig architect (1744-95)
Edinburgh New Town Masterplan
Archibald Elliot + James Smith architects
Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow
James Gibbs architect
Radcliffe Camera, Oxford
St Martin in the Fields, Trafalgar Square, London
St Mary-le-Strand, London
St Nicholas Kirk – west church, Aberdeen
Senate House, Cambridge
Gillespie Kidd & Coia architects
GK&C Projects
David Hamilton architect
Falkirk Steeple, Stirlingshire
Hutcheson’s Hospital, Glasgow
Royal Bank of Scotland & Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow
Stirling Library, Stirlingshire
John Hamilton architect
Barnclouth, Lanarks.
Thomas Hamilton architect
Ayr Town Hall, Ayrshire
Royal High School, Edinburgh
Burns Monument, Edinburgh
No.9 Queen St: Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh
Dean Orphanage (now Dean Gallery), 73 Belford Road, Edinburgh
George Meikle Kemp architect (1795-1844)
Scott Monument, Princes Street, Edinburgh
William Kininmonth architect (1904-88)
Kininmonth worked for Edwin Lutyens, later with Basil Spence
Adam House, Chambers Street: 1954
46a Dick Place, The Grange: 1933 Kininmonth & Spence
17 Essex Road: 1951 – private house
Lismhor, 11 Easter Belmont Rd, Murrayfield / Ravelston: 1933/35
Kininmonth & Spence
Holland House, first of Edinburgh University’s Pollock Halls: 1959
Mary Erskine’s School, Ravelston: 1966
6 St Andrew Square – Scottish Provident Building: 1961 Rowand
Anderson, Kininmonth & Paul
North British Distillery Company (NBDC) warehouse in Gorgie.
Renfrew Municipal Airport Terminal Building, 1954
Edwin Lutyens (English architect)
Grey Walls, Gullane, East Lothian
Ferry Inn, Rosneath, By Helensburgh
Alexander Beith Macdonald architect
Peoples Palace Glasgow, 1894-98; refurbished in 1998
Charles Rennie Mackintosh architect
Glasgow School of Art
Hill House
House for an Art Lover
Rennie Mackintosh Projects
James Marjoribanks MacLaren architect (1853-90)
Fortingall, Perthshire
Robert Matheson architect
General Post Office Edinburgh
Robert Matthew architect : Johnson-Marshall & Partners, architects
British Home Stores, Edinburgh
David Hume Tower, Edinburgh
Edinburgh Airport, Edinburgh (link: no info on original building)
Lothian Regional Council, Edinburgh
Royal Commonwealth Pool, Edinburgh
Wester Hailes Education Centre, Edinburgh
Isi Metzstein
St Peter’s College, Cardross, Helensburgh, Scotland
1968
St Bride’s Kirk, East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, Scotland
1962
Church of St Paul the Apostle, Glasgow, Scotland
1959
Our Lady of Good Counsel, Dennistoun, Glasgow, Scotland
1966
St Benedict’s Church, Easterhouse, Glasgow, Scotland
1965
St Charles of Borromeo, Hillside, Glasgow, Scotland
1960
85 Buchanan Street, Glasgow 1970
Our Lady & St Francis School 58-60 Charlotte St, Glasgow
1964
James Miller architect
Glasgow Royal Infirmary (link: no info on original building)
Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire
Sydney Mitchell architect (1856-1930)
Well Court, Dean Village, Edinburgh 1883-86
3 Rothesay Terrace – alterations, Dean Village, Edinburgh
Mercat Cross – restoration, Edinburgh 1885
Ramsay Garden – phase 2, Edinburgh
Red Home building, former Royal Infirmary site, Edinburgh
Robert Mylne architect (1633-1710)
Caroline Park House, Edinburgh with James Smith (c.1645 – 1731), possible input from Sir William Bruce (1630 – 1710)
J M Dick Peddie architect
Standard Life Assurance, Edinburgh
Frederick Thomas Pilkington architect
Barclay Church, Bruntsfield, Edinburgh
Viewforth, Inverkeithing, Fife
James Playfair architect
Dalkeith Palace minor additions (1786)
William Playfair architect
Dollar Academy, Dollar, Clackmannanshire
Floors Castle, Roxburghshire
Royal Scottish Academy (RSA), Princes Street, Edinburgh
National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound, Edinburgh
Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh
Dugald Stewart Monument, Edinburgh
Edinburgh City Observatory, Calton Hill
National Monument Edinburgh (Cockerell) Calton Hill
Robert Reid architect
West Register House, Charlotte Square, Edinburgh
David Rhind architect
The Dome, Edinburgh
Craigentinny Marbles, Edinburgh
James Robert Rhind architect
Dennistoun Library, Glasgow
James Salmon architect (I & II + with JG Gillespie, Architect)
The Hatrack, Glasgow: J Salmon II
Corinthian Club, Glasgow: J Salmon I & J Burnet
Former British Linen Company Bank, Govan: Salmon, Son & Gillespie
photo © Adrian Welch
George Gilbert Scott (English architect)
University of Glasgow Building
St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh (photo above)
McManus Galleries, Dundee
Archibald Simpson architect
Marischal College, Aberdeen
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
St Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral, Aberdeen
Aberdeen Music Hall
Athenaeum, Aberdeen
North of Scotland Bank building, Aberdeen
Established Church, Elgin
Mansion House of Newe, Strathdon
Duchess of Gordon’s Schools, Huntly
James Smith architect
Dalkeith Palace, Dalkeith, Midlothian
Basil Spence architect (1907-76)
Beehive building, Wellington
British Embassy Rome, Italy
Canongate Housing, Edinburgh
Department of Natural Philosophy Glasgow
Edinburgh University campus : University Library
Glasgow Infirmary
Great Michael Rise, Newhaven, Edinburgh
Gribloch, Kippen, Stirling
Lismhor House, Edinburgh
Mortonhall Crematorium, Edinburgh
Queen Elizabeth Square, Glasgow
Southside Garage, Edinburgh
St Andrew Square building, Edinburgh
Animal Breeding Research Headquarters, Kings’ Buildings, Edinburgh
Thomas Tait architect
St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh
Hawkhead Hospital, Paisley
Thomas Telford architect
Dunkeld, Perthshire
Alexander Thomson architect
Greek Thomson Projects
William B Whitie architect
Mitchell Library, Glasgow
Location: Scotland
Architecture in Scotland
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Scottish Architecture Studios
Key Scottish Architects Practices – contact details information
| Architect | phone / fax | e-mail / website | address |
Scottish Architect Profiles | |||
Alan Dunlop Architect | +44 (0)7814509013 | ad(at)alandunloparchitects.com www.alandunloparchitects.com | Alan Dunlop Architect Ltd 13 James Morrison Street Merchant City Glasgow G1 5PE Scotland, UK |
Ewan Cameron Architects | +44 (0)7595417776 | ewan(at)ewancameronarchitects.com www.ewancameronarchitects.com | Ewan Cameron Architects 199 Wilton Street Glasgow G20 6DF Scotland, UK |
rural design | +44 01470 521555 +44 01470 521551 | studio(at)ruraldesign.co.uk www.ruraldesign.co.uk | rural design 5 Lochside Dunvegan Isle of Skye IV55 8WA Scotland, UK |
Scottish Architect Practice Listings | |||
| Anderson Associates Ltd. Chartered Architects | +44 (0)1851 701500 | studio1aa(at)aol.com www.andersonassociatesltd.com | Anderson Associates Ltd. 20 North Beach, Stornoway Isle of Lewis Outer Hebrides HS1 2XQ Scotland, UK |
| antillia collective | +44 (0)131 4761186 | mail(at)antillia.org.uk www.antillia.org.uk | the antillia collective c/o 8 Doune Terrace Edinburgh EH3 6DY Scotland, UK |
| Coltart Earley Architecture | +44 (0)14 1353 7488 +44 (0)14 1353 7499 | architect(at)coltart-earley.co.uk www.coltart-earley.co.uk | Coltart Earley Architecture 11 Clairmont Gardens Glasgow G3 7LW Scotland, UK |
| Gauldie Wright & Partners | +44 (0)13 8266 9241 +44 (0)1382 669032 | info(at)gwp-architects.co.uk www.gwp-architects.co.uk | Gauldie Wright & Partners LLP 2 Osborne Place Magdalen Yard Road Dundee DD2 1BD Scotland, UK |
| Ritchie Dagen + Allan | +44 (0)13 8245 0770 +44 (0)13 8245 0790 | mail(at)rda-architects.com www.rda-architects.com | Ritchie Dagen + Allan Suite Two Stewarts House Kingsway East Dundee DD4 7RE Scotland, UK |
Architects + Landscape Architects + Structural Engineers with offices in Great Britain
Scottish Architect Additions welcome: info(at)e-architect.com
The Scottish Architecture site aims to promote Scottish Architects as well as the country’s architecture. The page is a useful starting point for selecting a Scottish architect.
Scottish Architects’ details are listed for an annual fee, likewise for Scottish Structural Engineers, etc.
Simply send your contact details to us by email, and agree how to pay, whether via PayPal or by bank transfer.
AMA Studio Edinburgh – new designn practice based in the Scottish capital city
See Architect Profiles Information for prices and details.
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Architects in Scotland by city
Scottish Architects – other cities
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Scotland Architectural Designs
Scottish Architecture Designs – chronological list
Scottish Architecture
photograph © AJW
Scottish Architecture Book (World of Art Series) by Miles Glendinning, Aonghus MacKechnie
Property Developments by type:
Scottish Houses
image : Touch 3D
More Scottish Architecture Studios online soon.
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Additions for the Scottish Architect Offices – Design Studios Scotland page welcome.