TWO Borders structures are in the mix to be named Scotland’s building of the year.
The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) revealed the shortlist for the Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award on Sunday.
And the Category A-listed High Sunderland, near Galashiels, and the new Jedburgh Grammar Campus building are in the running for the £10,000 prize.
On High Sunderland, which was designed by Peter Womersley, an RIAS spokesperson said: “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.”
Meanwhile, the spokesperson said of the Jedburgh campus: “The concept of ‘nurture’ is generally confined to early years education – but not at Jedburgh Grammar.
“Here, the empathetic cut-off when students move into secondary education is swerved, thanks to a design that prioritises their mental health and well-being.
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“Stallan-Brand Architecture + Design’s approach has created flexible spaces that allow students to take ownership of their space, and instead of generic classrooms offers a variety of places for students to learn, present, socialise, make and retreat.”
The Borders buildings will be battling it out against Forth Valley College’s Falkirk Campus, Lockerbie Sawmill and Quarry Studios in Aberdeenshire.
Chris Stewart, president of the RIAS, said: “It is exciting to see these five remarkable buildings on the shortlist for the Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award.
“Our homes, schools and offices form the backdrop to our everyday lives, and this year’s shortlist shows how architects can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.
“This year’s shortlist also highlights the relevance of architecture to many of society’s most pressing issues – whether that is climate change, young people’s mental health or the future of the workplace.
“I am proud of Scotland’s architecture profession and this year’s shortlist demonstrates why it should be celebrated.”
The shortlist was drawn from the winners of the 2022 RIAS Awards, which were announced in June.
The award is named in memory of its founder and patron, the inspired architect/developer Andy Doolan, who died in 2004.
The architects of the winning building receive the £10,000 cash prize, making it one of the most significant architecture awards in the world.
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