08 July 2016

Acclaimed designer to be keynote speaker at 2016 Aberdeenshire Design Awards

Designer Wayne Hemingway MBE will be the keynote speaker for Aberdeenshire’s 2016 Innovation, Architecture and Design Awards:

The acclaimed British designer will share his expertise with local planners, designers, architects and councillors and present an award to the winner of the public vote.

Aberdeenshire Council’s well-established biennial design awards have this year been revised to mark the national Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, with the overall aim of promoting better built design in the area.

Changes were made to allow the submission of design projects which have not actually been built, with the awards focussing on conceptual design based on innovation.

After selling the iconic Red or Dead brand, Mr Hemingway and his wife Gerardine set up HemingwayDesign in 1999 and have since been involved in a huge variety of projects

They have brought a fresh, inventive and forward-thinking approach to an impressive range of affordable housing and urban design projects.

Mr Hemingway holds posts on the Design Council and is a Professor in The Built Environment Department of Northumbria University, a Doctor of Design at Wolverhampton, Lancaster and Stafford, and a Fellow of Blackburn College and Regents University.

Already a well-established designer of successful places, he said he is excited to be part of Aberdeenshire’s own awards.

"It’s vital that developers and councils use the very best design brains when it comes to urban design and regeneration – I’m excited to be part of these awards and look forward to seeing the fresh ideas that young designers always come up with,” said Mr Hemingway.

Projects must show exceptional quality and merit to receive an award and will be assessed on innovative design, deliverability, cost and sustainability.

The public can vote on award submissions and see videos supporting each on our website: http://bit.ly/ShireDA2016

The Design Awards will be presented in a ceremony at Banchory’s Woodend Barn on the evening of September 1.