05 October 2018

Winners announced - Aberdeenshire Architectural and Landscape Design Awards

The winners of the 11th Biennial, Aberdeenshire Architectural and Landscape Design Awards, were announced at a ceremony at Banchory’s Woodend Barn last night. (Oct 4th, 2018)

Swedish, planner and architect Eva Ryden Dalman, was keynote speaker on the night. Eva is the project manager of an ambitious project to expand the currently rural, district of Brunnshög. This area of green pasture and lush farming land will, once completed, have a population of 40,000 people. It is hoped that once this project is finished that it will be a leading example of sustainable urban development, with great focus on innovation through architecture, housing and social aspects.

The Awards were hosted by Original 106 presenter, Ritchie Grant and the Deputy Provost of Aberdeenshire Cllr Ron McKail.

Chair of Infrastructure Services Committee Cllr Peter Argyle spoke on the night as Chair of the judging panel. He said that whilst judging had been tough, “It has been my very great pleasure to act as chair of the judging panel for the 5th time, judging was as ever tough with some very difficult decisions to be made by the panel. However, each time we run these awards I am, once again, pleased by the level of design and creativity that we see in the new buildings and designed spaces across Aberdeenshire.”

Vice Chair of ISC and fellow judge, Cllr John Cox, echoed Cllr Argyle’s sentiment, “I have really enjoyed being a member of the judging panel and I hope that by running awards such as these we will continue to put good design front and centre in Aberdeenshire”

This year there were three tiers of award: Commended, Highly Commended and the top award of Distinction (category winner) in a total of seven categories.

A new category for this year was the Future Proof Living Category, which was open to submissions from students and was subject to a public vote.

The overall best submission and winner of the Ian Shepherd Award was the Portsoy Sail Loft, designed by Pinny Neil of LDN Architects for the North East Scotland Preservation Trust. Winner in the Conservation and Building Adaptation category the judges felt that this was a ‘superb conversion of a derelict 19th century sail making factory into a high-quality bunkhouse’ Judges felt that the level of attention to detail was exceptional and that the restoration and repurposing of the building was of immense benefit to both the local community and the wider economy of the North East.

Category 1 - Innovative Solutions to housing need

AD Home - Commended

An innovative conceptual design that demonstrates cost effectiveness and sustainable principles in construction and energy efficiency.

Allardyce Design Limited

Category 2 - Future proof living (student submission)

Vertical Community – Highly Commended and winner of the public vote

An insightful project that explores the creation of vertical communities through there configuration of post war multistorey housing blocks.

Katie Rice – RGU

Futureproof Living and Dying – Highly Commended

A thought - provoking project examining sustainable human disposition through resomation in a rural setting.

Sophie Thea Perrott - RGU

A Whole of Parts – Dementia and the Public Realm – Commended

An inventive project looking at how architecture can facilitate people with dementia being integrated into the wider community.

Sophie Houston – RGU

Category 3 - Conservation and building adaption

Coldstone House and Steadings – Commended

A sensitive restoration project using traditional skills and materials to reinstate the original form of the historic buildings.

LDN Architects for Mr McKimm

Granary Street Huntly - Commended

A good example of sensitively regenerating redundant buildings in a historic town centre location with well-designed private courtyard gardens.

Graham Mitchell Architects for Mr McCall-Smith

Maryculter Trinity Church - Distinction

Exemplary specialist stained and leaded glass conservation work including the provision of discreet protective secondary glazing.

Michael Zappert for Maryculter Trinity Church

Portsoy Sail Loft – Distinction – category and winner of the Ian Shepherd Award

A superb conversion of a derelict 19th century sail making factory into high quality bunkhouse accommodation.

LDN Architects for North East Scotland Preservation Trust

Scarth Craig, Cowie - Highly Commended

Striking transformation of redundant utilitarian building to form colourful art deco inspired house.

Roundhouse Architecture Limited for Mr & Mrs Davidson

The Old Clocktower, Stonehaven - Highly Commended

The sound restoration of a key historic landmark including the creative adaption of its confined interior to create an exhibition space.

David Chouman Architect for Aberdeenshire Council

Todhead Lighthouse - Highly Commended

A high - quality adaptation of former lighthouse for residential use with minimum intervention

Moxon Architects Limited for Mrs Beyts

Category 4 - Building communities for the future

Castleton, Ellon – Commended

A good example of a traditionally inspired housing development with understated on street parking.

Michael Gilmour Associates for Scotia Homes

Chapelton – Distinction – Category winner

A high-quality development with shared outdoor space and excellent landscaping to create a strong sense of place.

Brooks Murray Architects for Elsick Development Company

Heritage Way, Fraserburgh – Distinction

An exemplary social housing development in a contemporary vernacular style which contributes to the regeneration of former industrial land.

Aberdeenshire Council Property & Facilities Management and Gokay Deveci Architect for Aberdeenshire Council

Category 5 - Innovative single house design

CRA'WIDDIE - Commended

The impressive simplicity of form and external finish allows this residential property to sit comfortably in its sensitive rural setting.

Ross Cowie Architect & Les Hunter Architect for Mr & Mrs Welfare

Culardoch Shieling - Highly Commended

An outstanding outdoor retreat with a strong response to place that sits in harmony with the surrounding remote upland landscape.

Moxon Architects Ltd for Mr & Mrs Gilmour

Lochanside, Aboyne - Highly Commended An excellent new house designed for the owner’s home working lifestyle and future adaption

Stuart Davidson Architecture for Mr & Mrs Zappert

Marchburn - Highly Commended – Category Winner

A fine example of a contemporary house with excellent internal layout and spatial qualities that relates well to its secluded woodland setting.

Michael Gilmour Associates for Mr & Mrs Gilmour

Category 6 - Business enterprise

Midmill Primary School – Commended

A good community based facility with impressive internal layout incorporating a multi-purpose gathering space and dining hall.

Aberdeenshire Council Property & Facilities Management

Portsoy Boatbuilding Centre – Distinction – Category Winner

A clever adaption of a redundant historic building which has resulted in educational and social benefits to the local community.

Brown + Brown Architects for Scottish Traditional Boat Festival

The Tin Coo Highly – Commended

A highly enterprising farm diversification business with an interesting use of materials to create a shop, play area and a café which incorporates a viewing gallery of the milking parlour.

SBD Limited for The Devenick Dairy

Uryside Primary - Commended

A bright spacious building with a good internal layout enriched by specially commissioned artwork and its relationship with the outdoor space.

Aberdeenshire Council Property & Facilities Management